Job 29
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New King James VersionNew Living Translation
1Job further continued his discourse, and said:1Job continued speaking:
2“Oh, that I were as in months past, As in the days when God watched over me;2“I long for the years gone by when God took care of me,
3When His lamp shone 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.
4Just as I was in the days of my prime, When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;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 around me;5The 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!6My steps were awash in cream, and the rocks gushed olive oil for me.
7“When I went out to the gate by the city, When I took my seat in the open square,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, And the aged arose and stood;8The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.
9The princes refrained from talking, And put their hand on their mouth;9The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths.
10The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.10The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect.
11When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me;11“All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me.
12Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper.12For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help.
13The blessing of a perishing man 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 justice was like a robe and a turban.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 I was feet to the lame.15I served as eyes for the blind and feet for 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 poor and assisted strangers who needed help.
17I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.17I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth.
18“Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest, And multiply my days as the sand.18“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life.
19My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lies all night on my branch.19For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew.
20My glory is fresh within me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’20New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.’
21Men listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.21“Everyone listened to my advice. They were silent as they waited for me to speak.
22After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them as dew.22And after I spoke, they had nothing to add, for my counsel satisfied them.
23They waited for me as for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.23They longed for me to speak as people long for rain. They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain.
24If I mocked at them, they did not believe it, And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.24When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them.
25I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army, As one who comforts mourners.25Like a chief, I told them what to do. I lived like a king among his troops and comforted those who mourned.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.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.
Job 28
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