Job 29
29
Job Remembers Better Days
1Again Job took up his discourse saying:
2“O that I could be as in the months gone by, as in the days when God watched over me,
3when His lamp shone above my head, when by His light I walked through darkness;
4as I was in the days of my prime, when God’s intimate friendship was upon my tent,
5when Shaddai was still with me, and my children surrounded me;
6when my steps were bathed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil.
7When I went out to the city gate, and secured my seat in the public square,
8young men would see me and hide, old men would rise and stand;
9princes refrained from talking and put their hand over their mouths;
10the voice of the nobles was hushed and their tongue stuck to their palate.
11“When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw me, it commended me;
12for I saved the poor who cried for help, and the orphan who had no one to help him;
13the blessing of the dying man came on me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was as my robe and turban.
15I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame;
16I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of one I did not know.
17I broke the jaws of the unjust, and snatched the prey out of his teeth.
18“Then I thought, ‘I will die in my nest, and multiply my days like the sand.
19My roots reach the water, and dew lies on my branches all night.
20My glory is fresh within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21“People listened to me and waited, and kept silent for my advice.
22After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell on them drop by drop.
23They waited for me as for the rain, and opened their mouths as for spring rain.
24When I joked with them, they hardly believed it; they did not cause the light of my face to fall.
25I chose their way and sat as their chief; I lived as a king among the troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.
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Job 29: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Job 29
29
Job’s Final Speech
1Job continued to speak. He said,
2“How I long for the times when things were better!
That’s when God watched over me.
3The light of his lamp shone on me.
I walked through darkness by his light.
4Those were the best days of my life.
That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.
5The Mighty One was still with me.
My children were all around me.
6The path in front of me was like sweet cream.
It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.
7“In those days I went to the city gate.
I took my seat as a member of the council.
8Young people who saw me stepped to one side.
Old people stood up as I approached.
9The leaders stopped speaking.
They covered their mouths with their hands.
10The voices of the nobles became quiet.
Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11Everyone who heard me said good things about me.
Those who saw me honored me.
12That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help.
I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.
13Those who were dying gave me their blessing.
I made the hearts of widows sing.
14I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes.
Fairness was my robe and my turban.
15I was like eyes for those who were blind.
I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.
16I was like a father to needy people.
I stood up for strangers in court.
17Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth.
But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.
18“I thought, ‘I’ll die in my own house.
The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.
19My roots will reach down to the water.
The dew will lie all night on my branches.
20I will remain healthy and strong.
My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.’
21“People wanted to hear what I had to say.
They waited silently for the advice I gave them.
22After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore.
My words fell gently on their ears.
23They waited for me just as they would wait for rain showers.
They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.
24When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it.
The light of my face lifted their spirits.
25I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief.
I lived as a king lives among his troops.
I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.
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