Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Job began speaking again.
1
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 If only my life could once again be as it was when God watched over me.
2
"Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;
3 God was always with me then and gave me light as I walked through the darkness.
3
When his lamp shone on my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;
4 Those were the days when I was prosperous, and the friendship of God protected my home.
4
As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was in my tent;
5 Almighty God was with me then, and I was surrounded by all my children.
5
When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
6 My cows and goats gave plenty of milk, and my olive trees grew in the rockiest soil.
6
When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 Whenever the city elders met and I took my place among them,
7
When I went forth to the city gate, When I prepared my seat in the street,
8 young men stepped aside as soon as they saw me, and old men stood up to show me respect.
8
The young men saw me and hid themselves, The aged rose up and stood;
9 The leaders of the people would stop talking;
9
The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
10 even the most important men kept silent.
10
The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Everyone who saw me or heard of me had good things to say about what I had done.
11
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it commended me:
12 When the poor cried out, I helped them; I gave help to orphans who had nowhere to turn.
12
Because I delivered the poor who cried, And the fatherless also, who had none to help him.
13 People who were in deepest misery praised me, and I helped widows find security.
13
The blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 I have always acted justly and fairly.
14
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes for the blind, and feet for the lame.
15
I was eyes to the blind, And feet to the lame.
16 I was like a father to the poor and took the side of strangers in trouble.
16
I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out.
17 I destroyed the power of cruel men and rescued their victims.
17
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 I always expected to live a long life and to die at home in comfort.
18
Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.
19 I was like a tree whose roots always have water and whose branches are wet with dew.
19
My root is spread out to the waters, The dew lies all night on my branch;
20 Everyone was always praising me, and my strength never failed me.
20
My glory is fresh in me, My bow is renewed in my hand.'
21 When I gave advice, people were silent and listened carefully to what I said;
21
"Men listened to me, waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
22 they had nothing to add when I had finished. My words sank in like drops of rain;
22
After my words they didn't speak again; My speech fell on them.
23 everyone welcomed them just as farmers welcome rain in spring.
23
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 I smiled on them when they had lost confidence; my cheerful face encouraged them.
24
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn't reject the light of my face.
25 I took charge and made the decisions; I led them as a king leads his troops, and gave them comfort in their despair.
25
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, As one who comforts the mourners.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.