Job’s Former Blessings

1And Job will add to lift up his parable, and say,

2Who will give me as the months of old, as the days God will watch me?

3In his causing his light to shine upon my head, before his light I shall go through darkness;

4As I was in the days of my ripeness, in the intercourse of God upon my tent;

5In the Almighty being yet with me, my youths round about me;

6In washing my goings with butter, and the rock will pour out with me streams of oil;

7In my going forth to the gate upon the city, in the street I shall prepare my seat.

8The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the old men rose up and stood.

9Chiefs held back in words, and they will put the hand to the mouth.

10The voice the leaders hid, and their tongue was joined to their palate.

11If the ear heard, and it will pronounce me happy; and the eye saw, and it will testify to me:

12For I shall deliver the poor crying, and the orphan, and none helping to him.

13The praise of him perishing will come upon me, and I shall cause the heart of the widow to rejoice.

14I put on justice and it will clothe me: my judgment as an upper garment and a turban.

15Eyes was I to the blind one, and feet to the lame was I.

16I was a father to the needy, and the contention I knew not I shall search it out.

17And I shall break the biter's teeth of the evil one, and I shall cast the prey from his teeth.

18And saying, I shall expire with my nest I shall multiply days as the sand.

19My root opened to the waters, and the dew will lodge upon my foliage.

20My glory new with me, and my bow will be changed in my hand.

21To me they heard, and they waited, and they will be silent for them at my counsel.

22After my words they will not repeat, and my speech will drop upon them.

23And they waited for me as the rain, and they opened wide their mouth for the latter rain.

24I shall laugh at them, they will not believe; and the light of my face they will not cast down.

25I shall choose their way, and I shall sit the head, and I shall dwell as king in the troop, as he shall comfort those mourning.