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when I went out to the city gate,
    when I prepared my seat in the street.
The young men saw me and hid themselves.
    The aged rose up and stood.
The princes refrained from talking,
    and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed,
    and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me;
    and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried,
    and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me,
    and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.
    My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind,
    and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy.
    I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous
    and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house,
    I will count my days as the sand.
19 My root is spread out to the waters.
    The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is fresh in me.
    My bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “Men listened to me, waited,
    and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they didn’t speak again.
    My speech fell on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain.
    Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence.
    They didn’t reject the light of my face.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief.
    I lived as a king in the army,
    as one who comforts the mourners.

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When I went out to (A)the gate of the city,
When I [a]took my seat in the public square,
The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the old men arose and stood.
The leaders (B)stopped talking
And (C)put their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the prominent people were [b](D)hushed,
And their (E)tongues stuck to their palates.
11 For when (F)an ear heard, it called me blessed,
And when an eye saw, it testified in support of me,
12 Because I saved (G)the poor who cried for help,
And the (H)orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the one who (I)was about to perish came upon me,
And I made the (J)widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I (K)put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a headband.
15 I was (L)eyes to those who were blind,
And feet to those who [c]could not walk.
16 I was a father to (M)the poor,
And I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 I (N)broke the jaws of the wicked
And rescued the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I [d]thought, ‘I will die with my [e]family,
And I will multiply my days as the sand.
19 My (O)root is spread out to the waters,
And (P)dew lies on my branch all night.
20 My glory is ever new with me,
And my (Q)bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “To me (R)they listened and waited,
And they kept silent for my advice.
22 After my words (S)they did not speak again,
And (T)my speech dropped on them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And opened their mouths as for the late rain.
24 I smiled at them when they did not believe,
And they did not look at [f]my kindness ungraciously.
25 I chose a way for them and sat as (U)chief,
And lived as a king among the troops,
As one who (V)comforted the mourners.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 29:7 Lit set up
  2. Job 29:10 Lit hidden
  3. Job 29:15 Or limped
  4. Job 29:18 Lit said
  5. Job 29:18 Lit nest
  6. Job 29:24 Lit the light of my face