[1] Moreover Job continued his parable and said: [2] "Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; [3] when His candle shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness, [4] as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; [5] when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; [6] when I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; [7] when I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! [8] The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up. [9] The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. [10] The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. [11] When the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me; [12] because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless and him that had none to help him. [13] The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. [14] I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. [15] I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. [16] I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not I searched out. [17] And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. [18] "Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.' [19] My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. [20] My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. [21] "Unto me men gave ear and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. [22] After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them. [23] And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. [24] If I laughed on them, they believed it not, and the light of my countenance they cast not down. [25] I chose out their way and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
