1And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
2Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
3When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;
4As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
5When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
6When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
7When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
8Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
9Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
10The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
12Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, that had none to help him.
13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
14I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
15Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
16A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
17And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
18And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
19My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
20My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
21Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
22After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
23And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
24I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
25I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.