Job 29

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Job took up his theme anew and said;	1 Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
2 Oh, that I were as in the months past! as in the days when God watched over me,	2 Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
3 While he kept his lamp shining above my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;	3 When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
4 As I was in my flourishing days, when God sheltered my tent;	4 As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were round about me;	5 When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
6 When my footsteps were bathed in milk, and the rock flowed with streams of oil;	6 When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
7 When I went forth to the gate of the city and set up my seat in the square-	7 When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
8 Then the young men saw me and withdrew, while the elders rose up and stood;	8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
9 The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;	9 The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
10 The voice of the princes was silenced, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.	10 The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
11 Whoever heard of me blessed me; those who saw me commended me.	11 The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
12 For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, the orphans, and the unassisted;	12 Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
13 The blessing of those in extremity came upon me, and the heart of the widow I made joyful.	13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
14 I wore my honesty like a garment; justice was my robe and my turban.	14 I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame was I;	15 I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy; the rights of the stranger I studied,	16 I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked man; from his teeth I forced the prey.	17 I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
18 Then I said: "In my own nest I shall grow old; I shall multiply years like the phoenix.	18 And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
19 My root is spread out to the waters; the dew rests by night on my branches.	19 My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
20 My glory is fresh within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand!"	20 My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
21 For me they listened and waited; they were silent for my counsel.	21 They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
22 Once I spoke, they said no more, but received my pronouncement drop by drop.	22 To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as for the rain; they drank in my words like the spring rains.	23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
24 When I smiled on them they were reassured;	24 If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
25 mourners took comfort from my cheerful glance. I chose out their way and presided; I took a king's place in the armed forces.	25 If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.