^{1 Ref} And Job again took up his parable, and said,

^{2 Ref} Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;

^{3 Ref} When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;

^{4 Ref} As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;

^{5 Ref} When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;

^{6 Ref} When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!

^{7 Ref} When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,

^{8 Ref} The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;

^{9 Ref} The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;

^{10 Ref} The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

^{11 Ref} For when the ear heard `me', then it blessed me; And when the eye saw `me', it gave witness unto me:

^{12 Ref} Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him.

^{13 Ref} The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

^{14 Ref} I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

^{15 Ref} I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame.

^{16 Ref} I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

^{17 Ref} And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.

^{18 Ref} Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand:

^{19 Ref} My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch;

^{20 Ref} My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

^{21 Ref} Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.

^{22 Ref} After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.

^{23 Ref} And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide `as' for the latter rain.

^{24 Ref} I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down.

^{25 Ref} I chose out their way, and sat `as' chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.

^{1 Ref} And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --

^{2 Ref} Who doth make me as `in' months past, As `in' the days of God's preserving me?

^{3 Ref} In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk `through' darkness.

^{4 Ref} As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

^{5 Ref} When yet the Mighty One `is' with me. Round about me -- my young ones,

^{6 Ref} When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock `is' with me rivulets of oil.

^{7 Ref} When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.

^{8 Ref} Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.

^{9 Ref} Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

^{10 Ref} The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.

^{11 Ref} For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth `to' me.

^{12 Ref} For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.

^{13 Ref} The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.

^{14 Ref} Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

^{15 Ref} Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame `am' I.

^{16 Ref} A father I `am' to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

^{17 Ref} And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.

^{18 Ref} And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'

^{19 Ref} My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.

^{20 Ref} My honour `is' fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.

^{21 Ref} To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

^{22 Ref} After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,

^{23 Ref} And they wait as `for' rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide `As' for the latter rain.

^{24 Ref} I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.

^{25 Ref} I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.