| New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
| 1And Job again took up his discourse and said, | 1Then Job continued with his discourse: |
| 2"Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me; | 2"I wish I could go back to how things were a few months ago; when God used to watch over me, |
| 3When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness; | 3when his lamp used to shine over my head, so I could walk through the dark, |
| 4As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent; | 4like when I was in my prime and God trusted me with his secrets! |
| 5When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me; | 5"The Almighty was still with me back then, and my children were still around me. |
| 6When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil! | 6I was successful wherever I went, and even the rocks poured out streams of olive oil for me." |
| 7"When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square, | 7"Whenever I went out to the city gate, a seat had been reserved for me in the plaza. |
| 8The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the old men arose and stood. | 8The young men would see me and withdraw, and the aged would rise and stand. |
| 9"The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths; | 9Nobles would refrain from speaking, covering their mouths with their hands. |
| 10The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to their palate. | 10The voices of the commanders-in-chief were hushed, and their tongues would cling to the roofs of their mouths." |
| 11"For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, And when the eye saw, it gave witness of me, | 11"When people heard me speak, they blessed me; when people saw me, they approved me, |
| 12Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper. | 12because I delivered the poor who were crying for help, along with orphans who had no one to help them. |
| 13"The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow's heart sing for joy. | 13Those who were about to die blessed me, and I made widows sing for joy. |
| 14"I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. | 14I put on righteousness like clothing; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban. |
| 15"I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame. | 15I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. |
| 16"I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know. | 16I was a father to the needy; I diligently inquired into the case of those I didn't know. |
| 17"I broke the jaws of the wicked And snatched the prey from his teeth. | 17I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop the prey." |
| 18"Then I thought, 'I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand. | 18"I used to say: 'I will die in my home. I'm going to live as many days as there are grains of sand on the shore. |
| 19'My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch. | 19My roots have spread out and have found water, and dew settles at night on my branches. |
| 20My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.' | 20My glory renews for me and my bow is as good as new in my hand.' |
| 21"To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel. | 21"They listened and waited for me, as they remained in silence for my counsel. |
| 22"After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them. | 22After I spoke, they had nothing to say, when what I said hit them. |
| 23"They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the spring rain. | 23They waited for me as one waits for rain, as one opens his mouth to drink in a spring rain shower. |
| 24"I smiled on them when they did not believe, And the light of my face they did not cast down. | 24I smiled at them when they had no confidence, and no one could discourage me. |
| 25"I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners. | 25I set an example of the way to live, as a leader would; I lived like a king among his army; like one who comforts mourners." |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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