The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Iyov went on speaking:
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And Job again took up the word and said,
2 "I wish I were as in the old days, back in the times when God watched over me;
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If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
3 when his lamp shone over my head, and I walked through the dark by its light;
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When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 as I was when I was young, and God's counsel graced my tent.
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As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 Then Shaddai was still with me, my children were around me;
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While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 my steps were awash in butter, and the rocks poured out for me streams of olive oil.
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When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 I would go out to the city gate and set up my seat in the open space;
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When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 when young men saw me they would hide themselves, while the aged arose and stood;
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The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 leaders refrained from speaking -they would lay their hands on their mouths;
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The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 the voices of nobles were silenced; their tongues stuck to their palates.
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The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Any ear that heard me blessed me, any eye that saw me gave witness to me,
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For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
12 for I delivered the poor when they cried for assistance, the orphan too, who had no one to help him.
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For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
13 Those who had been about to die would bless me, and I made widows sing in their hearts for joy.
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The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was like a robe and a crown.
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I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
15 I was eyes for the blind, and I was feet for the lame.
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I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the problems of those I didn't know.
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I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and snatched the prey from his teeth.
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By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 "I said, 'I will die with my nest, and I will live as long as a phoenix;
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Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 my root will spread till it reaches water, and dew will stay all night on my branch;
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My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 my glory will always be fresh, my bow always new in my hand.'
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My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 "People would listen to me; they waited and were silent when I gave advice.
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Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 After I spoke, they didn't talk back; my words were like drops [of dew] on them.
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After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 They waited for me as if for rain, as if for spring rain, with their mouths open wide.
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They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 When I joked with them, they couldn't believe it; and they never darkened the light on my face.
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I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 I chose their way [for them], sitting as chief; I lived like a king in the army, like one who comforts mourners.
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I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.