Job’s Former Blessings 1 ULT And Job continued to take up his discourse, and he said, BSB BSB: And Job continued his discourse:
2 ULT “Who will give me{ to be} as{ in} the months of the past, as{ in} the days{ when} God was keeping me, BSB BSB: “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 ULT when his lamp shone over my head,{ when} I walked{ in} darkness by his light, BSB BSB: when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 ULT as that I was in the days of my prime, when the friendship of God{ was} upon my tent, BSB BSB: when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 ULT when the Almighty{ was} still with me, my children around me, BSB BSB: when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 ULT when my steps were bathed in butter and the rock poured out streams of oil for me! BSB BSB: when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 ULT When I went out to the gate of the city,{ when} I took my seat in the square, BSB BSB: When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 ULT young men saw me and hid themselves, and old men rose, they stood. BSB BSB: the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 ULT The princes refrained from words, and they put a hand on their mouth. BSB BSB: The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 ULT The voice of the nobles— they were hushed, and their tongue stuck to their palate. BSB BSB: The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 ULT For the ear heard, and they blessed me, and the eye saw, and they attested me BSB BSB: For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 ULT because I rescued the afflicted crying out and the fatherless when{ there was} no help to him. BSB BSB: because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 ULT The blessing of the one perishing came upon me, and I gladdened the heart of the widow. BSB BSB: The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 ULT I clothed myself{ with} righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice{ was} like a robe and a turban. BSB BSB: I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 ULT I was eyes to the blind, and I{ was} feet to the lame. BSB BSB: I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 ULT I{ was} a father to the needy, and the case{ that} I did not know, I examined it. BSB BSB: I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 ULT And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and I made the prey drop from his teeth. BSB BSB: I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 ULT And I said,‘I will expire in my nest, and I will multiply days like sand. BSB BSB: So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 ULT My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lodges on my branch. BSB BSB: My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 ULT My glory{ is} fresh in me, and my bow sprouts in my hand.’ BSB BSB: My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 ULT They listened to me and they waited, and they kept silent for my counsel. BSB BSB: Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 ULT After my word, they did not also{ speak}, for my speech dripped on them. BSB BSB: After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 ULT And they waited for me as{ for} rain, and they opened their mouth{ as} for the latter rain. BSB BSB: They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 ULT I smiled on them{ when} they did not believe, and they did not cause the light of my face to fall. BSB BSB: If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 ULT I chose their way and I sat as a chief, and I dwelt like a king in an army, as when one comforts mourners. 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.