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Job 29
29. CONCLUSION OF THE DIALOGUE
a. His former happiness
1 And Job continued his solemn discourse. He said:
2 Who will bring back to me the months that have gone, and the days when God was my guardian,
3 when his lamp shone over my head, and his light was my guide in the darkness?
4 Shall I ever see my autumn days again when God hedged round my tent;
5 when Shaddai dwelt with me, and my children were around me;
6 when my feet were plunged in cream, and streams of oil poured from the rocks?
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square,
8 as soon as I appeared, the young men stepped aside, while the older men rose to their feet.
9 Men of note interrupted their speeches, and put their fingers on their lips;
10 the voices of rulers were silenced, and their tongues stayed still in their mouths.
21 They waited anxiously to hear me, and listened in silence to what I had to say.
22 When I paused, there was no rejoinder, and my words dropped on them, one by one.
23 They waited for me, as men wait for rain, open-mouthed, as if to catch the year’s last showers.
24 If I smiled at them, it was too good to be true, they watched my face for the least sign of favour.
25 In a lordly style, I told them which course to take, and like a king amid his armies, I led them where I chose.
11 My praises echoed in every ear, and never an eye but smiled on me;
12 because I freed the poor man when he called, and the orphan who had no one to help him.
13 When men were dying, I it was who had their blessing; if widows’ hearts rejoiced, that was my doing.
14 I had dressed myself in righteousness like a garment; justice, for me, was cloak and turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind, and feet for the lame.
16 Who but I was father of the poor?
17 The stranger’s case had a hearing from me. I used to break the fangs of wicked men, and snatch their prey from between their jaws.
18 So I thought to myself, ‘I shall die in honour, my days like a palm tree’s for number.
19 My roots thrust out to the water, my leaves freshened by the falling dew at night.
20 My reputation will never fade, and the bow in my hands will gain new strength.’