[1] Moreover Job continued his discourse: [2] "Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me; [3] when His lamp shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness; [4] as I was in the days of my autumn youth, when the friendly counsel of God was over my tent; [5] when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me; [6] when my steps were bathed in butter, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me! [7] "When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square, [8] the young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up. [9] The princes refrained from talking, and put their hand on their mouth. [10] The nobles held their peace, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. [11] When the ear heard, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw, then it approved me, [12] because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless, and him who had none to help him. [13] The blessing of the perishing man 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 like a robe and a diadem. [15] I was eyes for the blind, and I was feet for the lame. [16] I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. [17] I broke the jaws of the wicked and plucked the victim from his teeth. [18] "Then I said, 'I will die in my nest, and I will 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] "Men listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel. [22] After my words they did not speak again, and my speech settled on them like dew. [23] They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain. [24] If I mocked at them, they did not believe it, and the light of my countenance they did not cast down. [25] I chose the way for them and sat as chief, and lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts mourners.
