New Century Version NCV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Job continued to speak:
1
Iyov went on speaking:
2 "How I wish for the months that have passed and the days when God watched over me.
2
"I wish I were as in the old days, back in the times when God watched over me;
3 God's lamp shined on my head, and I walked through darkness by his light.
3
when his lamp shone over my head, and I walked through the dark by its light;
4 I wish for the days when I was strong, when God's close friendship blessed my house.
4
as I was when I was young, and God's counsel graced my tent.
5 The Almighty was still with me, and my children were all around me.
5
Then Shaddai was still with me, my children were around me;
6 It was as if my path were covered with cream and the rocks poured out olive oil for me.
6
my steps were awash in butter, and the rocks poured out for me streams of olive oil.
7 I would go to the city gate and sit in the public square.
7
I would go out to the city gate and set up my seat in the open space;
8 When the young men saw me, they would step aside, and the old men would stand up in respect.
8
when young men saw me they would hide themselves, while the aged arose and stood;
9 The leading men stopped speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
9
leaders refrained from speaking -they would lay their hands on their mouths;
10 The voices of the important men were quiet, as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
10
the voices of nobles were silenced; their tongues stuck to their palates.
11 Anyone who heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me praised me,
11
Any ear that heard me blessed me, any eye that saw me gave witness to me,
12 because I saved the poor who called out and the orphan who had no one to help.
12
for I delivered the poor when they cried for assistance, the orphan too, who had no one to help him.
13 The dying person blessed me, and I made the widow's heart sing.
13
Those who had been about to die would bless me, and I made widows sing in their hearts for joy.
14 I put on right living as if it were clothing; I wore fairness like a robe and a turban.
14
I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was like a robe and a crown.
15 I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
15
I was eyes for the blind, and I was feet for the lame.
16 I was like a father to needy people, and I took the side of strangers who were in trouble.
16
I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the problems of those I didn't know.
17 I broke the fangs of evil people and snatched the captives from their teeth.
17
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 "I thought, 'I will live for as many days as there are grains of sand, and I will die in my own house.
18
"I said, 'I will die with my nest, and I will live as long as a phoenix;
19 My roots will reach down to the water. The dew will lie on the branches all night.
19
my root will spread till it reaches water, and dew will stay all night on my branch;
20 New honors will come to me continually, and I will always have great strength.'
20
my glory will always be fresh, my bow always new in my hand.'
21 "People listened to me carefully and waited quietly for my advice.
21
"People would listen to me; they waited and were silent when I gave advice.
22 After I finished speaking, they spoke no more. My words fell very gently on their ears.
22
After I spoke, they didn't talk back; my words were like drops [of dew] on them.
23 They waited for me as they would for rain and drank in my words like spring rain.
23
They waited for me as if for rain, as if for spring rain, with their mouths open wide.
24 I smiled at them when they doubted, and my approval was important to them.
24
When I joked with them, they couldn't believe it; and they never darkened the light on my face.
25 I chose the way for them and was their leader. I lived like a king among his army, like a person who comforts sad people.
25
I chose their way [for them], sitting as chief; I lived like a king in the army, like one who comforts mourners.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.