| King James Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, | 1Job continued speaking: |
| 2Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; | 2“I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, |
| 3When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; | 3when he lit up the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness. |
| 4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; | 4When I was in my prime, God’s friendship was felt in my home. |
| 5When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; | 5The Almighty was still with me, and my children were around me. |
| 6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; | 6My steps were awash in cream, and the rocks gushed olive oil for me. |
| 7When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! | 7“Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders. |
| 8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. | 8The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming. |
| 9The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. | 9The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths. |
| 10The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. | 10The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect. |
| 11When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: | 11“All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me. |
| 12Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. | 12For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. |
| 13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. | 13I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. |
| 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. | 14Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban. |
| 15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. | 15I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. |
| 16I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. | 16I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help. |
| 17And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. | 17I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth. |
| 18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. | 18“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life. |
| 19My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. | 19For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew. |
| 20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. | 20New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.’ |
| 21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. | 21“Everyone listened to my advice. They were silent as they waited for me to speak. |
| 22After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. | 22And after I spoke, they had nothing to add, for my counsel satisfied them. |
| 23And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. | 23They longed for me to speak as people long for rain. They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain. |
| 24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. | 24When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them. |
| 25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. | 25Like a chief, I told them what to do. I lived like a king among his troops and comforted those who mourned. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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