Read Amplified Bible, 2015 Job 29 Bible Online

Job 29 - Amplified Bible, 2015 bible

Job 29

¹And Job again took up his discussion and said,

²"Oh, that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me,

³When His lamp shone upon my head And by His light I walked through darkness;

⁴As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship and counsel of God were over my tent,

⁵When[1] the Almighty was still with me And my boys were around me,

⁶When my steps [through rich pastures] were washed with butter and cream [from my livestock], And the rock poured out for me streams of oil [from my olive groves].

⁷"When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat [as a city father] in the square,

⁸The young men saw me and hid themselves, The aged arose and stood [respectfully];

⁹The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;

¹⁰The voices of the nobles were hushed, And their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

¹¹"For when an ear heard [my name mentioned], it called me happy and fortunate; And when an eye saw [me], it testified for me [approvingly],

¹²Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper.

¹³"The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, And I made the widow's heart sing for joy.

¹⁴"I put on[2] righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban!

¹⁵"I was eyes to the blind And I was feet to the lame.

¹⁶"I was a father to the needy; I investigated the case I did not know [and assured justice].

¹⁷"And I smashed the jaws of the wicked And snatched the prey from his teeth.

¹⁸"Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand.

¹⁹'My root is spread out and open to the waters, And the dew lies all night upon my branch.

²⁰'My glory and honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed], And my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.'

²¹"They listened to me and waited And kept silent for my counsel.

²²"After I spoke, they did not speak again, And my speech dropped upon them [like a refreshing shower].

²³"They waited for me [and for my words] as for the rain, And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

²⁴"I smiled at them when they did not believe, And they did not diminish the light of my face.

²⁵"I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king among his soldiers, As one who comforts mourners.