Job 29

29Job continued to speak. He said,

²“How I long for the good old days!

That’s when God watched over me.

³The light of his lamp shone on me.

I walked through darkness by his light.

⁴Those were the best days of my life.

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

⁵The Mighty One was still with me.

My children were all around me.

⁶The 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.

⁸Young people who saw me stepped to one side.

Old people stood up as I approached.

⁹The leaders stopped speaking.

They covered their mouths with their hands.

¹⁰The voices of the nobles became quiet.

Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

¹¹Everyone who heard me said good things about me.

Those who saw me honored me.

¹²That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help.

I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.

¹³Those who were dying gave me their blessing.

I made the hearts of widows sing.

¹⁴I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes.

Fairness was my robe and my turban.

¹⁵I was like eyes for those who were blind.

I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.

¹⁶I was like a father to needy people.

I stood up for strangers in court.

¹⁷Sinners 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.

¹⁹My roots will reach down to the water.

The dew will lie all night on my branches.

²⁰I 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.

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

My words fell gently on their ears.

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

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

²⁴When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it.

The light of my face lifted their spirits.

²⁵I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief.

I lived as a king lives among his troops.

I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.