Job: if only I were as I was
1And Job went on with his discourse: 2If only I were as I was in the months gone by, in the days when Eloah kept watch over me, 3when his lamp shone above my head and by his light I walked through the dark; 4as I was in the days of my prime, when the friendship of Eloah was over my tent; 5when the Almighty was still with me and my young ones were all around me; 6when my steps were washed in cream and the rock poured out streams of oil for me. 7When I went out to the gate of the city and took my seat in the open square, 8the young men saw me and drew back, and the old men rose and stood. 9The chiefs held back their words and put a hand over their mouths. 10The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. 11The ear that heard me called me happy, and the eye that saw me bore witness for me, 12because I rescued the poor man crying for help, and the orphan with no one to help him. 13The blessing of the dying came upon me, and I made the widow’s heart sing. 14I put on righteousness and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban. 15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. 16I was a father to the needy, and the case I did not know, I searched out. 17I broke the jaws of the wrongdoer and made him drop the prey from his teeth. 18And I said, “I will die in my own nest, and my days will be as many as the sand.” 19My root lies open to the water, and the dew stays all night on my branches. 20My honor is fresh with me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.
I sat as chief among them
21Men listened to me and waited; they kept silent for my counsel. 22After I had spoken, no one spoke again; my words fell on them drop by drop. 23They waited for me as for the rain and opened their mouths wide as for the spring showers. 24I smiled at them when they had lost heart, and they did not let the light of my face fall. 25I chose their way and sat as chief. I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
