| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Job further continued his discourse, and said: | 1Job continued his discourse, saying: |
| 2“Oh, that I were as in months past, As in the days when God watched over me; | 2If only I could be as in months gone by, in the days when God watched over me, |
| 3When His lamp shone upon my head, And when by His light I walked through darkness; | 3when his lamp shone above my head, and I walked through darkness by his light! |
| 4Just as I was in the days of my prime, When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent; | 4I would be as I was in the days of my youth when God's friendship rested on my tent, |
| 5When the Almighty was yet with me, When my children were around me; | 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, |
| 6When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me! | 6when my feet were bathed in curds and the rock poured out streams of oil for me! |
| 7“When I went out to the gate by the city, When I took my seat in the open square, | 7When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the town square, |
| 8The young men saw me and hid, And the aged arose and stood; | 8the young men saw me and withdrew, while older men stood to their feet. |
| 9The princes refrained from talking, And put their hand on their mouth; | 9City officials stopped talking and covered their mouths with their hands. |
| 10The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. | 10The noblemen's voices were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. |
| 11When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me; | 11When they heard me, they blessed me, and when they saw me, they spoke well of me. |
| 12Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper. | 12For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the fatherless child who had no one to support him. |
| 13The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. | 13The dying blessed me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice. |
| 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. | 14I clothed myself in righteousness, and it enveloped me; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban. |
| 15I was eyes to the blind, And I was feet to the lame. | 15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. |
| 16I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know. | 16I was a father to the needy, and I examined the case of the stranger. |
| 17I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth. | 17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth. |
| 18“Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest, And multiply my days as the sand. | 18So I thought, "I will die in my own nest and multiply my days as the sand. |
| 19My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lies all night on my branch. | 19My roots will have access to water, and the dew will rest on my branches all night. |
| 20My glory is fresh within me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’ | 20My whole being will be refreshed within me, and my bow will be renewed in my hand." |
| 21“Men listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. | 21Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my advice. |
| 22After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them as dew. | 22After a word from me they did not speak again; my speech settled on them like dew. |
| 23They waited for me as for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain. | 23They waited for me as for the rain and opened their mouths as for spring showers. |
| 24If I mocked at them, they did not believe it, And the light of my countenance they did not cast down. | 24If I smiled at them, they couldn't believe it; they were thrilled at the light of my countenance. |
| 25I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army, As one who comforts mourners. | 25I directed their course and presided as chief. I lived as a king among his troops, like one who comforts those who mourn. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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