Parallel Bible results for "job 29"

Job 29

The Message Bible MSG

1 Job now resumed his response:

2 "Oh, how I long for the good old days, when God took such very good care of me.

3 He always held a lamp before me and I walked through the dark by its light.

4 Oh, how I miss those golden years when God's friendship graced my home,

5 When the Mighty One was still by my side and my children were all around me,

6 When everything was going my way, and nothing seemed too difficult.

7 "When I walked downtown and sat with my friends in the public square,

8 Young and old greeted me with respect; I was honored by everyone in town.

9 When I spoke, everyone listened;

10 they hung on my every word.

11 People who knew me spoke well of me; my reputation went ahead of me.

12 I was known for helping people in trouble and standing up for those who were down on their luck.

13 The dying blessed me, and the bereaved were cheered by my visits.

14 All my dealings with people were good. I was known for being fair to everyone I met.

15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame,

16 Father to the needy, and champion of abused aliens.

17 I grabbed street thieves by the scruff of the neck and made them give back what they'd stolen.

18 I thought, 'I'll die peacefully in my own bed, grateful for a long and full life,

19 A life deep-rooted and well-watered, a life limber and dew-fresh,

20 My soul suffused with glory and my body robust until the day I die.'

21 "Men and women listened when I spoke, hung expectantly on my every word.

22 After I spoke, they'd be quiet, taking it all in.

23 They welcomed my counsel like spring rain, drinking it all in.

24 When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing!

25 I was their leader, establishing the mood and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed.

World English Bible WEB

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 "Oh 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, And by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was in my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;

6 When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured out streams of oil for me!

7 When I went forth to the city gate, When I prepared my seat in the street,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, The aged rose up and stood;

9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it commended me:

12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, And the fatherless also, who had none to help him.

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 put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I didn't know, I searched out.

17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.

19 My root is spread out to the waters, The dew lies all night on my branch;

20 My glory is fresh in me, My bow is renewed in my hand.'

21 "Men listened to me, waited, And kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they didn't speak again; My speech fell on them.

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 no confidence. They didn't reject the light of my face.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, As one who comforts the mourners.