Job Speaks Once More
29 1 And Job spoke again and said: 2 "Oh, that I were as in months gone by, as in the days when God watched over me, 3 when his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; 4 as I was in the days of my prime, when the intimate friendship of God rested over my tent, a a v4 Job aches for the closeness he once knew — God's intimate friendship over his home. He does not yet know that the God he misses is the Father whose heart never left him; that he will see for himself before the book ends. 5 when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were all around me; 6 when my steps were bathed in curds, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil. 7 When I went out to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square, 8 the young men saw me and stepped aside, and the aged rose and stood; 9 the princes held back their words and laid a hand over their mouths; 10 the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongues clung to the roof of their mouths. 11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it bore witness for me, 12 because I rescued the poor who cried out, and the orphan who had no one to help. 13 The blessing of the one about to perish came upon me, and I made the widow's heart sing for joy. 14 I clothed myself in righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. 15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. 16 I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case of one I did not know. 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the prey from his teeth. 18 So I thought, 'I will die in my own nest, and multiply my days like the sand.' 19 My roots reached out to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branches. 20 My glory stayed fresh within me, and my bow was ever new in my hand. 21 Men listened to me and waited; they kept silent for my counsel. 22 After I spoke, they said no more; my words fell gently on them. 23 They waited for me as for the rain, and opened their mouths as for the spring showers. 24 When I smiled on them, they could scarcely believe it, and they held on to the light of my face. 25 I chose their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.