Job 29:2–6

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

as in the days when God watched over me,

when his lamp shone upon my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness,

as I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

when the Almighty was yet with me,

when my children were all around me,

when my steps were washed with butter,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

“How I long for the months gone by,

for the days when God watched over me,

when his lamp shone on my head

and by his light I walked through darkness!

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

when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,

when the Almighty was still with me

and my children were around me,

when my path was drenched with cream

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

If only I could be as in months gone by,

in the days when God watched over me,

when his lamp shone above my head,

and I walked through darkness by his light!

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

when God’s friendship rested on my tent,

when the Almighty was still with me

and my children were around me,

when my feet were bathed in curds

and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!

“I long for the years gone by

when God took care of me,

when he lit up the way before me

and I walked safely through the darkness.

When I was in my prime,

God’s friendship was felt in my home.

The Almighty was still with me,

and my children were around me.

My steps were awash in cream,

and the rocks gushed olive oil for me.

“O that I were as in the months before,

as in the days when God watched over me,

when his shining lamp was over my head—

by his light I walked through darkness—

as when I was in the days of my prime,

when God’s confiding was over my house,

when Shaddai was still with me,

my children were all around me,

when my paths were washed in sour milk,

and the rock poured out streams of oil for me.

Oh that I were as in months past,

As in the days when God preserved me;

When his candle shined upon my head,

And when by his light I walked through darkness;

As I was in the days of my youth,

When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

When the Almighty was yet with me,

When my children were about me;

When I washed my steps with butter,

And the rock poured me out rivers of oil;