| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Job continued his discourse, saying: | 1Then Job continued his speech: |
| 2If only I could be as in months gone by, in the days when God watched over me, | 2"O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me, |
| 3when His lamp shone above my head, and I walked through darkness by His light! | 3when he caused his lamp to shine upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; |
| 4I would be as I was in the days of my youth when God's friendship rested on my tent, | 4just as I was in my most productive time, when God's intimate friendship was experienced in my tent, |
| 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, | 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me; |
| 6when my feet were bathed in cream and the rock poured out streams of oil for me! | 6when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil! |
| 7When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the town square, | 7When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, |
| 8the young men saw me and withdrew, while older men stood to their feet. | 8the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; |
| 9City officials stopped talking and covered their mouths with their hands. | 9the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; |
| 10The noblemen's voices were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. | 10the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. |
| 11When they heard me, they blessed me, and when they saw me, they spoke well of me. | 11"As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me, |
| 12For I rescued the poor man who cried out for help, and the fatherless child who had no one to support him. | 12for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; |
| 13The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice. | 13the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice; |
| 14I clothed myself in righteousness, and it enveloped me; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban. | 14I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; |
| 15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. | 15I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; |
| 16I was a father to the needy, and I examined the case of the stranger. | 16I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; |
| 17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth. | 17I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth. |
| 18So I thought: I will die in my own nest and multiply my days as the sand. | 18"Then I thought, 'I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. |
| 19My roots will have access to water, and the dew will rest on my branches all night. | 19My roots reach the water, and the dew lies on my branches all night long. |
| 20My strength will be refreshed within me, and my bow will be renewed in my hand. | 20My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.' |
| 21Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my advice. | 21"People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice. |
| 22After a word from me they did not speak again; my speech settled on them like dew. | 22After I had spoken, they did not respond; my words fell on them drop by drop. |
| 23They waited for me as for the rain and opened their mouths as for spring showers. | 23They waited for me as people wait for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rains. |
| 24If I smiled at them, they couldn't believe it; they were thrilled at the light of my countenance. | 24If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it; and they did not cause the light of my face to darken. |
| 25I directed their course and presided as chief. I lived as a king among his troops, like one who comforts those who mourn. | 25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I lived like a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners. |
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