Job 29:2–10

2 “How I long for the months gone by,

for the days when God watched over me,

3 when his lamp shone on my head

and by his light I walked through darkness!

4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,

when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,

5 when the Almighty was still with me

and my children were around me,

6 when my path was drenched with cream

and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.

7 “When I went to the gate of the city

and took my seat in the public square,

8 the young men saw me and stepped aside

and the old men rose to their feet;

9 the chief men refrained from speaking

and covered their mouths with their hands;

10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,

and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

2 “Oh, that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me,

3 when his lamp shone upon my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 as I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

5 when the Almighty was yet with me,

when my children were all around me,

6 when my steps were washed with butter,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I prepared my seat in the square,

8 the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose and stood;

9 the princes refrained from talking

and laid their hand on their mouth;

10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

2 Oh that I were as in months past,

As in the days when God preserved me;

3 When his candle shined upon my head,

And when by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the days of my youth,

When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me,

When my children were about me;

6 When I washed my steps with butter,

And the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

7 When I went out to the gate through the city,

When I prepared my seat in the street!

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves:

And the aged arose, and stood up.

9 The princes refrained talking,

And laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The nobles held their peace,

And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

2 “I long for the years gone by

when God took care of me,

3 when he lit up the way before me

and I walked safely through the darkness.

4 When I was in my prime,

God’s friendship was felt in my home.

5 The Almighty was still with me,

and my children were around me.

6 My steps were awash in cream,

and the rocks gushed olive oil for me.

7 “Those were the days when I went to the city gate

and took my place among the honored leaders.

8 The young stepped aside when they saw me,

and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.

9 The princes stood in silence

and put their hands over their mouths.

10 The highest officials of the city stood quietly,

holding their tongues in respect.

2 “Oh, that I were as in months past,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When His lamp shone upon my head,

And when by His light I walked through darkness;

4 Just as I was in the days of my prime,

When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me,

When my children were around me;

6 When my steps were bathed with cream,

And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!

7 “When I went out to the gate by the city,

When I took my seat in the open square,

8 The young men saw me and hid,

And the aged arose and stood;

9 The princes refrained from talking,

And put their hand on their mouth;

10 The voice of nobles was hushed,

And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

2 “How I wish for the months that have passed

and the days when God watched over me.

3 God’s lamp shined on my head,

and I walked through darkness by his light.

4 I wish for the days when I was strong,

when God’s close friendship blessed my house.

5 The Almighty was still with me,

and my children were all around me.

6 It was as if my path were covered with cream

and the rocks poured out olive oil for me.

7 I would go to the city gate

and sit in the public square.

8 When the young men saw me, they would step aside,

and the old men would stand up in respect.

9 The leading men stopped speaking

and covered their mouths with their hands.

10 The voices of the important men were quiet,

as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

2 Oh that I were as in the months of old,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When his lamp shined upon my head,

And by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the ripeness of my days,

When the friendship of God was upon my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me,

And my children were about me;

6 When my steps were washed with butter,

And the rock poured me out streams of oil!

7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city,

When I prepared my seat in the street,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,

And the aged rose up and stood;

9 The princes refrained from talking,

And laid their hand on their mouth;

10 The voice of the nobels was hushed,

And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when †God preserved me; 3 When his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of †God was over my tent, 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me; 6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! …

7 When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway, 8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up; 9 Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.

2 If only I could be as in months gone by,

in the days when God watched over me,

3 when His lamp shone above my head,

and I walked through darkness by His light!

4 I would be as I was in the days of my youth

when God’s friendship rested on my tent,

5 when the Almighty was still with me

and my children were around me,

6 when my feet were bathed in cream

and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!

7 When I went out to the city gate

and took my seat in the town square,

8 the young men saw me and withdrew,

while older men stood to their feet.

9 City officials stopped talking

and covered their mouths with their hands.

10 The noblemen’s voices were hushed,

and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

2 “O that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me,

3 when his lamp shone over my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 when I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

5 when the Almighty was still with me,

when my children were around me,

6 when my steps were washed with milk

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I took my seat in the square,

8 the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose up and stood;

9 the nobles refrained from talking

and laid their hands on their mouths;

10 the voices of princes were hushed,

and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

2 “O that I were as in the months before,

as in the days when God watched over me,

3 when his shining lamp was over my head—

by his light I walked through darkness—

4 as when I was in the days of my prime,

when God’s confiding was over my house,

5 when Shaddai was still with me,

my children were all around me,

6 when my paths were washed in sour milk,

and the rock poured out streams of oil for me.

7 “At my going out the gate to the city,

I secured my seat in the square.

8 Young men saw me and stepped aside,

and the aged rose up and stood.

9 Officials refrained from talking,

and they laid their hand on their mouth.

10 The voices of nobles were hushed,

and their tongue stuck to their palate.

2 “How I long for the good old days!

That’s when God watched over me.

3 The light of his lamp shone on me.

I walked through darkness by his light.

4 Those were the best days of my life.

That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.

5 The Mighty One was still with me.

My children were all around me.

6 The path in front of me was like sweet cream.

It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.

7 “In those days I went to the city gate.

I took my seat as a member of the council.

8 Young people who saw me stepped to one side.

Old people stood up as I approached.

9 The leaders stopped speaking.

They covered their mouths with their hands.

10 The voices of the nobles became quiet.

Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When His lamp shone over my head,

And by His light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the prime of my days,

When the friendship of God was over my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me,

And my children were around me;

6 When my steps were bathed in butter,

And the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 “When I went out to the gate of the city,

When I took my seat in the square,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,

And the old men arose and stood.

9 “The princes stopped talking

And put their hands on their mouths;

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed,

And their tongue stuck to their palate.