Job 29

“I long for the years gone by
    when God took care of me,

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

when he lit up the way before me
    and I walked safely through the darkness.

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

When I was in my prime,
    God’s friendship was felt in my home.

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

The Almighty was still with me,
    and my children were around me.

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

My steps were awash in cream,
    and the rocks gushed olive oil for me.

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

“Those were the days when I went to the city gate
    and took my place among the honored leaders.

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

The young stepped aside when they saw me,
    and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.

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

The princes stood in silence
    and put their hands over their mouths.

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

The highest officials of the city stood quietly,
    holding their tongues in respect.

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

“All who heard me praised me.
    All who saw me spoke well of me.

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

For I assisted the poor in their need
    and the orphans who required help.

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

I helped those without hope, and they blessed me.
    And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.

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

Everything I did was honest.
    Righteousness covered me like a robe,
    and I wore justice like a turban.

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

I served as eyes for the blind
    and feet for the lame.

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

I was a father to the poor
    and assisted strangers who needed help.

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

I broke the jaws of godless oppressors
    and plucked their victims from their teeth.

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

“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family
    after a long, good life.^[a]

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

For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water,
    whose branches are refreshed with the dew.

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

New honors are constantly bestowed on me,
    and my strength is continually renewed.’

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

“Everyone listened to my advice.
    They were silent as they waited for me to speak.

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

And after I spoke, they had nothing to add,
    for my counsel satisfied them.

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

They longed for me to speak as people long for rain.
    They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain.

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

When they were discouraged, I smiled at them.
    My look of approval was precious to them.

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

Like a chief, I told them what to do.
    I lived like a king among his troops
    and comforted those who mourned.