Moreover Job
continued
his parable,
and said,
Oh that
I were as in months
past,
as in the days
when God
preserved
me;
When his candle
shined
upon my head,
and when by his light
I walked
through darkness;
As I was in the days
of my youth,
when the secret
of God
was upon my tabernacle;
When the Almighty
was yet with me, when my children
were about
me;
When I washed
my steps
with butter,
and the rock
poured me out
rivers
of oil;
When I went out
to the gate
through the city,
when I prepared
my seat
in the street!
The young men
saw
me, and hid
themselves: and the aged
arose,
and stood up.
The princes
refrained
talking,
and laid
their hand
on their mouth.
The nobles
held
their peace,
and their tongue
cleaved
to the roof of their mouth.
When the ear
heard
me, then it blessed
me; and when the eye
saw
me, it gave witness
to me:
Because I delivered
the poor
that cried,
and the fatherless,
and him that had none to help
him.
The blessing
of him that was ready to perish
came
upon me: and I caused the widow's
heart
to sing for joy.
I put
on righteousness,
and it clothed
me: my judgment
was as a robe
and a diadem.
I was eyes
to the blind,
and feet
was I to the lame.
I was a father
to the poor:
and the cause
which I knew
not I searched out.
And I brake
the jaws
of the wicked,
and plucked
the spoil
out of his teeth.
Then I said,
I shall die
in my nest,
and I shall multiply
my days
as the sand.
My root
was spread out
by the waters,
and the dew
lay all night
upon my branch.
My glory
was fresh
in me,
and my bow
was renewed
in my hand.
Unto me men gave ear,
and waited,
and kept silence
at
my counsel.
After
my words
they spake not again;
and my speech
dropped
upon them.
And they waited
for me as for the rain;
and they opened
their mouth
wide as for the latter rain.
If I laughed
on them, they believed
it not; and the light
of my countenance
they cast not down.
I chose
out their way,
and sat
chief,
and dwelt
as a king
in the army,
as one that comforteth
the mourners.
