Job 29

Job's Final Claim of Innocence

1 Job continued his discourse, saying:

2 If only I could be as in months gone by,
in the days when God watched over me,
3 when His lamp shone above my head,
and I walked through darkness by His light!
4 [I would be] as I was in the days of my youth
when God's friendship rested on my tent,
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me,

6 when my feet were bathed in cream
and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!

7 When I went out to the city gate
and took my seat in the town square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
while older men stood to their feet.
9 City officials stopped talking
and covered their mouths with [their] hands.
10 The noblemen's voices were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 When they heard me, they blessed me,
and when they saw me, they spoke well of me.
12 For I rescued the poor man who cried out for help,
and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.
13 The dying man blessed me,
and I made the widow's heart rejoice.
14 I clothed myself in righteousness,
and it enveloped me;
my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I examined the case of the stranger.

17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust
and snatched the prey from his teeth.

18 So I thought: I will die in my own nest
and multiply [my] days as the sand.
19 My roots will have access to water,
and the dew will rest on my branches all night.

20 My strength will be refreshed within me,
and my bow will be renewed in my hand.

21 Men listened to me with expectation,
waiting silently for my advice.
22 After a word from me they did not speak again;
my speech settled on them [like dew].
23 They waited for me as for the rain
and opened their mouths as for spring showers.
24 If I smiled at them, they couldn't believe [it];
they were thrilled at the light of my countenance.

25 I directed their course and presided as chief.
I lived as a king among his troops,
like one who comforts those who mourn.

Job 29

IV. Job’s Concluding Soliloquy (29:1-31:40)

Job Recalls His Former Condition

1 Then Job continuedt his speech:

2 “O that I could bet ast I was
in the months now gone,t
in the dayst when God watchedt over me,

3 whent he causedt his lamps
to shine upon my head,
and by his light
I walkedt through darkness;t

4 just as I was in my most productive time,t
when God’s intimate friendships was experienced in my tent,

5 when the Almightyt was still with me
and my children weres around me;

6 when my stepst were bathedt with buttert
and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil!t

7 When I went out to the city gate
and secured my seat in the public square,s

8 the young men would see me and step aside,t
and the old men would get up and remain standing;

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

10 the voices of the nobles fell silent,t
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

Job’s Benevolence

11 “As soon as the ear heard these things,t it blessed me,t
and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me,

12 for I rescued the poor who cried out for help,
and the orphan whot had no one to assist him;

13 the blessing of the dying man descended on me,t
and I made the widow’s heart rejoice;t

14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me,t
my just dealingt was like a robe and a turban;

15 I was eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame;

16 I was a fathers to the needy,
and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;

17 I broke the fangst of the wicked,
and made him dropt his prey from his teeth.

Job’s Confidence

18 “Then I thought, ‘I will die in my own home,s
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.s

19 My roots reach the water,
and the dew lies on my branches all night long.

20 My gloryt will always be fresht in me,
and my bow ever new in my hand.’

Job’s Reputation

21 “Peoplet listened to me and waited silently;s
they kept silent for my advice.

22 After I had spoken, they did not respond;
my words fell on them drop by drop.t

23 They waited for me as people waitt for the rain,
and they opened their mouthss
as fort the spring rains.

24 If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it;t
and they did not cause the light of my face to darken.t

25 I choset the way for themt
and sat as their chief;t
I lived like a king among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.s