Job 29 — NIV vs NIVUK

Verse 2

“How I long for the months gone by,
for the days when God watched over me,

‘How I long for the months gone by,
for the days when God watched over me,

Verse 3

when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!

Verse 4

Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,

Verse 5

when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me,

Verse 6

when my path was drenched with cream
and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.

Verse 7

“When I went to the gate of the city
and took my seat in the public square,

‘When I went to the gate of the city
and took my seat in the public square,

Verse 8

the young men saw me and stepped aside
and the old men rose to their feet;

Verse 9

the chief men refrained from speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands;

Verse 10

the voices of the nobles were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

Verse 11

Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,

Verse 12

because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to assist them.

Verse 13

The one who was dying blessed me;
I made the widow’s heart sing.

Verse 14

I put on righteousness as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.

Verse 15

I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.

Verse 16

I was a father to the needy;
I took up the case of the stranger.

Verse 17

I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims from their teeth.

Verse 18

“I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.

‘I thought, “I shall die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.

Verse 19

My roots will reach to the water,
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.

Verse 20

My glory will not fade;
the bow will be ever new in my hand.’

My glory will not fade;
the bow will be ever new in my hand.”

Verse 21

“People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.

‘People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.

Verse 22

After I had spoken, they spoke no more;
my words fell gently on their ears.

Verse 23

They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.

Verse 24

When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face was precious to them.^[a]

Verse 25

I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;
I dwelt as a king among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.