| 1 | Moreover, Job continued his parable, and said, |
| 2 | Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; |
| 3 | When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; |
| 4 | As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; |
| 5 | When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; |
| 6 | When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; |
| 7 | When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! |
| 8 | The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. |
| 9 | The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. |
| 10 | The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. |
| 11 | When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: |
| 12 | Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. |
| 13 | The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. |
| 14 | I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. |
| 15 | I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. |
| 16 | I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. |
| 17 | And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. |
| 18 | Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. |
| 19 | My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. |
| 20 | My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. |
| 21 | To me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. |
| 22 | After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them. |
| 23 | And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. |
| 24 | If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. |
| 25 | I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. |