English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
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Job again took up his discourse and said:
2 “Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the 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 upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
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when his lamp shone over 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,
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when 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,
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when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me;
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
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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 gate of the city, when I prepared 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 men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood;
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the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood;
9 the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth;
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the nobles refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths;
10 the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
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the voices of princes were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved,
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When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved;
12 because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
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because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper.
13 The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
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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 righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a 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 and 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, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
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I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
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I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the 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 spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches,
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my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches;
20 my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand. ’
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my glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
21 “Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel.
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"They listened to me, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon 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 the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the 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 when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down.
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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 chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among 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.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
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.