Job 29

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 And Job continued his solemn discourse. He said:	1 Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
2 Wil no one bring back to me the months that have gone, and the days when God was my guardian,	2 Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
3 when his lamp shone over my head, and his light was my guide in the darkness?	3 When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
4 Shal I ever see my days of harvest again when God protected my tent;	4 As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
5 when Shaddai stil dwelt with me, and my children were around me;	5 When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
6 when my feet were bathed in milk, and streams of oil poured from the rocks?	6 When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took 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 as soon as I appeared, the young men stepped aside, and the old men rose to their feet.	8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
9 Men of note broke off their speeches, and put their hands over their mouths;	9 The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
10 the voices of rulers were silenced, and their tongues stayed stil in their mouths.	10 The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
11 On hearing me, people congratulated me, on seeing me, people deferred to me,	11 The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
12 because I freed the poor in distress and the orphan who had no helper.	12 Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
13 The dying man's blessing rested on me and I gave the widow's heart cause to rejoice.	13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
14 Uprightness I wore as a garment, fair judgement was my cloak 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 for the blind, and feet for the lame.	15 I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
16 Who but me was father of the poor? The stranger's case had a hearing from me.	16 I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
17 I used to break the fangs of the wicked, and snatch their prey from their jaws.	17 I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
18 And I used to say, 'I shall die in honour, after days as numerous as the sand.	18 And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
19 My roots can reach the water, the dews of night settle on my leaves.	19 My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
20 My glory wil be for ever new and the bow in my hand for ever strong.'	20 My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
21 They waited anxiously to hear me, and listened in silence to what I had to say.	21 They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
22 When I had finished, no one contradicted, my words dropping on them, one by one.	22 To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
23 They waited for me as though for rain, open-mouthed as though for a late shower.	23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
24 If I smiled at them, it was too good to be true, they watched my face for the least sign of favour.	24 If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
25 As their chief, I told them which course to take, like a king living among his troops, and I led themwherever I chose.	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.