Job 29:16–23

16 I was a father to the needy;

I took up the case of the stranger.

17 I broke the fangs of the wicked

and snatched the victims from their teeth.

18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,

my days as numerous as the grains of sand.

19 My roots will reach to the water,

and the dew will lie all night on my branches.

20 My glory will not fade;

the bow will be ever new in my hand.’

21 “People listened to me expectantly,

waiting in silence for my counsel.

22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;

my words fell gently on their ears.

23 They waited for me as for showers

and drank in my words as the spring rain.

16 I was a father to the poor:

And the cause which I knew not I searched out.

17 And I brake 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 Unto me men gave ear, and waited,

And kept silence at my counsel.

22 After my words they spake 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.

16 I was a father to the poor

and assisted strangers who needed help.

17 I broke the jaws of godless oppressors

and plucked their victims from their teeth.

18 “I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family

after a long, good life.

19 For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water,

whose branches are refreshed with the dew.

20 New honors are constantly bestowed on me,

and my strength is continually renewed.’

21 “Everyone listened to my advice.

They were silent as they waited for me to speak.

22 And after I spoke, they had nothing to add,

for my counsel satisfied them.

23 They longed for me to speak as people long for rain.

They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain.

16 I was a father to the poor,

And I searched out the case that I did not know.

17 I broke the fangs of the wicked,

And plucked the victim from his teeth.

18 “Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest,

And multiply my days as the sand.

19 My root is spread out to the waters,

And the dew lies all night on my branch.

20 My glory is fresh within me,

And my bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “Men listened to me and waited,

And kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they did not speak again,

And my speech settled on them as dew.

23 They waited for me as for the rain,

And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.

16 I was like a father to needy people,

and I took the side of strangers who were in trouble.

17 I broke the fangs of evil people

and snatched the captives from their teeth.

18 “I thought, ‘I will live for as many days as there are grains of sand,

and I will die in my own house.

19 My roots will reach down to the water.

The dew will lie on the branches all night.

20 New honors will come to me continually,

and I will always have great strength.’

21 “People listened to me carefully

and waited quietly for my advice.

22 After I finished speaking, they spoke no more.

My words fell very gently on their ears.

23 They waited for me as they would for rain

and drank in my words like spring rain.

16 I was a father to the needy:

And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

17 And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous,

And plucked the prey 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 is spread out to the waters,

And the dew lieth all night upon my branch;

20 My glory is fresh in me,

And my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited,

And kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they spake not again;

And my speech distilled upon them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain;

And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

16 I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out; 17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

18 And I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand; 19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch; 20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand. 21 Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for 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.

16 I was father to the needy. 

I carefully investigated cases brought by strangers. 

17 I broke the teeth of the wicked person 

and made him drop the prey out of his mouth. 

18 “I thought, ‘I may die in my own house, 

but I will make my days as numerous as the sand. 

19 My roots will grow toward the water, 

and dew will lie on my branches all night. 

20 My power will be fresh ⸤every day⸥, 

and the bow in my hand will remain new.’ 

21 “People listened to me eagerly, 

quietly waiting for my advice. 

22 After I had spoken, they wouldn’t speak again. 

After all, my words fell gently on them. 

23 They were as eager to hear me as they were for rain. 

They opened their mouths wide as if waiting for a spring shower. 

16 I was a father to the needy,

and I examined the case of the stranger.

17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust

and snatched the prey from his teeth.

18 So I thought: I will die in my own nest

and multiply my days as the sand.

19 My roots will have access to water,

and the dew will rest on my branches all night.

20 My strength will be refreshed within me,

and my bow will be renewed in my hand.

21 Men listened to me with expectation,

waiting silently for my advice.

22 After a word from me they did not speak again;

my speech settled on them like dew.

23 They waited for me as for the rain

and opened their mouths as for spring showers.

16 I was a father to the needy,

and I championed the cause of the stranger.

17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous

and made them drop their prey from their teeth.

18 Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,

and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;

19 my roots spread out to the waters,

with the dew all night on my branches;

20 my glory was fresh with me

and my bow ever new in my hand.’

21 “They listened to me and waited

and kept silence for my counsel.

22 After I spoke they did not speak again,

and my word dropped upon them like dew.

23 They waited for me as for the rain;

they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

16 I was a father to the poor,

and I investigated the stranger’s legal dispute.

17 And I broke the evil one’s jaw bones,

and I made his prey drop from his teeth.

18 “And I thought, ‘I will pass away in my nest,

and like the phoenix I shall multiply my days.

19 My roots were open to water,

and dew spent the night on my branches;

20 My glory was new with me,

and I was revitalized regularly.’

21 “They listened to me and waited,

and they kept silent for my counsel.

22 After my word, they did not speak again,

and my word dropped down like dew upon them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain,

and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.

16 I was like a father to needy people.

I stood up for strangers in court.

17 Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth.

But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.

18 “I thought, ‘I’ll die in my own house.

The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.

19 My roots will reach down to the water.

The dew will lie all night on my branches.

20 I will remain healthy and strong.

My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.’

21 “People wanted to hear what I had to say.

They waited silently for the advice I gave them.

22 After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore.

My words fell gently on their ears.

23 They waited for me just as they would wait for showers.

They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.

16 “I was a father to the needy,

And I investigated the case which I did not know.

17 “I broke the jaws of the wicked

And snatched the prey from his teeth.

18 “Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,

And I shall multiply my days as the sand.

19 ‘My root is spread out to the waters,

And dew lies all night on my branch.

20 ‘My glory is ever new with me,

And my bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “To me they listened and waited,

And kept silent for my counsel.

22 “After my words they did not speak again,

And my speech dropped on them.

23 “They waited for me as for the rain,

And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.