Job’s Former Blessings 1 DRA Job also added, taking up his parable, and said: BSB BSB: And Job continued his discourse:
2 DRA Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me? BSB BSB: “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 DRA When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness? BSB BSB: when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 DRA As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle? BSB BSB: when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 DRA When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me? BSB BSB: when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 DRA When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil? BSB BSB: when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 DRA When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair? BSB BSB: When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 DRA The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood. BSB BSB: the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 DRA The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth. BSB BSB: The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 DRA The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat. BSB BSB: The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 DRA The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me: BSB BSB: For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 DRA Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper. BSB BSB: because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 DRA The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow. BSB BSB: The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 DRA I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem. BSB BSB: I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 DRA I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame. BSB BSB: I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 DRA I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently. BSB BSB: I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 DRA I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey. BSB BSB: I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 DRA And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days. BSB BSB: So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 DRA My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest. BSB BSB: My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 DRA My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired. BSB BSB: My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 DRA They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel. BSB BSB: Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 DRA To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them. BSB BSB: After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 DRA They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower. BSB BSB: They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 DRA If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth. BSB BSB: If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 DRA If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned. BSB BSB: I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.