Job Continues His Parable About the Past |
Job 29:1-25 Book of Job [in Smaller Chunks] |
Job [also] continued his parable & said, Oh, [if only] I [was like] in the [previous] months, [like during] the days when God [kept me safe.] When [the light of God's] candle shined upon my head. And when I walked through darkness by His light. |
[Like] I was [during] the days of my youth, when the secret [ways] of God was upon [me & my tent.] When the Almighty was [still] with me & my children were [still around] me. |
[Like] when I [was prosperous] & my steps were washed in the [cream for] butter & [my] rocks poured out rivers of oil. When I went through the city to the gate & when I prepared my seat [in the town square.] |
The young men saw me & hid themselves & the aged arose & stood up [in respect.] The [rulers held back] from talking & [covered] their mouth with their hand. The nobles held their peace & their tongue [stuck] to the roof of their mouth. |
When [their ears listened to] me, then [I was] blessed. And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: because I delivered the poor [who] cried [out,] the fatherless & [those who] had [no one] to help [them.] |
[Those who] were ready to perish [blessed] me. And I [helped] the widow's heart sing with joy. I put on righteousness & it clothed me. My [justice] was [like] a robe & a [crown.] [Psalm 23:3 [The Lord] restores my oil. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.] |
I was [like] eyes [for] the blind & I was [like] feet [for] the lame. I was [like] a father to the poor & I [researched] the cause [that] I didn't know. [Proverbs 29:7 The righteous consider the cause of the poor; but the wicked [acted like] they didn't know [about] it.] |
And I [broke] the jaws of the wicked & [snacked the plunder] out of his teeth. Then, I said, I shall die in my nest & I shall multiply my days [like] the [amount of] sand. |
My root was spread out by the waters & the dew lay all night upon my branch. My glory was fresh [within] me & my bow was renewed [within] my hand. |
[Job 49:24 But his bow abode in strength & the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from Whom is the Shepherd, the [Rock] of Israel.)] |
Men [listened] to me & waited & kept [silent for] my [advice.] After my words, they [didn't speak] again. And [what I said fell & touched their hearts.] And they waited for me [like they do] for rain & they opened their [mouths] wide as [if to catch some of] the [spring] rain. |
If I [joked with] them, they didn't believe it. They [didn't look] down on the light [of my happy] face. I [helped choose] their [path] & sat [as a leader] & [lived like] a king in the army, [like someone who] comforts the mourners. |