Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Job took up his subject again:
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Job again took up his discourse and said:
2 Oh, that life was like it used to be, like days when God watched over me;
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"O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 when his lamp shone on my head, I walked by his light in the dark;
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when his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;
4 when I was in my prime; when God's counsel was in my tent;
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when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent;
5 when the Almighty was with me, my children around me;
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when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me;
6 when my steps were washed with cream and a rock poured out pools of oil for me.
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when my steps were washed with milk, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 When I went out to the city gate, took my seat in the square,
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When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square,
8 the young saw me and drew back; the old rose and stood;
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the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood;
9 princes restrained speech, put their hand on their mouth;
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the nobles refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths;
10 the voices of officials were hushed, their tongue stuck to their palate.
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the voices of princes were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 Indeed, the ear that heard blessed me; the eye that looked commended me,
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When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved;
12 because I rescued the weak who cried out, the orphans who lacked help.
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because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the perishing reached me; I made the widow's heart sing;
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The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I put on justice, and it clothed me, righteousness as my coat and turban;
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I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame.
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I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy; the case I didn't know, I examined.
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I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
17 I shattered the fangs of the wicked, rescued prey from their teeth.
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I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 I thought, I'll die in my nest, multiply days like sand,
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Then I thought, "I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;
19 my roots opening to water, dew lingering on my branches,
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my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches;
20 my honor newly with me, my bow ever successful in my hand.
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my glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
21 People listened to me and waited, were silent for my advice.
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"They listened to me, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my speech, they didn't respond. My words fell gently on them;
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After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them like dew.
23 they waited for me as for rain, opened their mouth as for spring rain.
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They waited for me as for the rain; they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them; they couldn't believe it. They never showed me disfavor.
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I smiled on them when they had no confidence; and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish.
25 I decided their path, sat as chief. I lived like a king with his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
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I chose their way, and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.