1 |
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, |
2 |
Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; |
3 |
When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; |
4 |
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; |
5 |
When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; |
6 |
When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; |
7 |
When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! |
8 |
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. |
9 |
The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. |
10 |
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. |
11 |
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: |
12 |
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. |
13 |
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. |
14 |
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. |
15 |
I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. |
16 |
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. |
17 |
And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. |
18 |
Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. |
19 |
My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. |
20 |
My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. |
21 |
Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. |
22 |
After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. |
23 |
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. |
24 |
If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. |
25 |
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. |
