1And Job again took up his parable, and said:
2Who will make me as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3When His lamp shone over my head, by His light I walked through darkness;
4As I was in the days of my prime, when the counsel of God was over my tent;
5While Shaddai was yet with me, my young men around me;
6When my steps were washed in curd, and the rock poured out beside me streams of oil;
7When I went out to the gate by the city, in the open square I prepared my seat;
8The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood;
9Princes restrained their words, and laid their hand on their mouth;
10The voice of nobles was hidden, and their tongue clung to their palate.
11For an ear heard and called me blessed, and an eye saw and bore witness to me;
12Because I delivered the poor who cried out, and the orphan who had no helper.
13The blessing of the perishing came upon me, and the heart of the widow I made sing for joy.
14Righteousness I put on, and it clothed me; like a robe and a turban was my judgment (mishpat).
15Eyes I was to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
16A father I was to the needy, and the cause I did not know I searched out.
17And I broke the fangs of the unjust, and from his teeth I cast out the prey.
18And I said, "With my nest I shall expire, and like the sand I shall multiply days.
19My root is opened toward the waters, and the dew lodges on my branch.
20My glory is fresh with me, and my bow is renewed in my hand."
21To me they listened and waited, and kept silent for my counsel.
22After my word they did not speak again, and upon them my speech dropped.
23And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24I smiled on them — they did not believe it; and the light of my face they did not cast down.
25I chose their way and sat as chief, and I dwelt like a king among the troop, like one who comforts mourners.