Job 29

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Job took up his theme anew and said;	1 Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:
2 Oh, that I were as in the months past! as in the days when God watched over me,	2 Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me?
3 While he kept his lamp shining above my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;	3 At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.
4 As I was in my flourishing days, when God sheltered my tent;	4 I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were round about me;	5 At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.
6 When my footsteps were bathed in milk, and the rock flowed with streams of oil;	6 Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.
7 When I went forth to the gate of the city and set up my seat in the square-	7 When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.
8 Then the young men saw me and withdrew, while the elders rose up and stood;	8 The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.
9 The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;	9 The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.
10 The voice of the princes was silenced, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.	10 The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered 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 testimony for me.
12 For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, the orphans, and the unassisted;	12 This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who 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 who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.
14 I wore my honesty like a garment; justice was my robe and my turban.	14 I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame was I;	15 I was an eye for the blind and a foot for 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 if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.
17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked man; from his teeth I forced the prey.	17 I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.
18 Then I said: "In my own nest I shall grow old; I shall multiply years like the phoenix.	18 And I said, “I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days.
19 My root is spread out to the waters; the dew rests by night on my branches.	19 My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.
20 My glory is fresh within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand!"	20 My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”
21 For me they listened and waited; they were silent for my counsel.	21 Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.
22 Once I spoke, they said no more, but received my pronouncement drop by drop.	22 To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over 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 belated rains.
24 When I smiled on them they were reassured;	24 If I had ever laughed at them, they would not have believed it, and the light of my face was not cast down towards the ground.
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 wished to go to them, I sat down first, and, though I sat like a king surrounded by an army, yet I was a comforter to whose who mourned.