King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
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Job again took up his discourse and said:
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved 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 candle shined upon my head, and when 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 the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
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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 about me;
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when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me;
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers 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 through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
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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 hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
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the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood;
9 The princes refrained 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 nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved 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 me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
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When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved;
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that 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 that was ready 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 judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
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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 was I 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 poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
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I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of 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 said, 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 root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
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my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches;
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
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my glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
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"They listened to me, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
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After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them like dew.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
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They waited for me as for the rain; they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not 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 out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the 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 King James Version is in the public domain.
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.