Job 29:16–18

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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;

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. 

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.

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;

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.

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.

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.