New International Version NIV
Common English Bible CEB
1 Job continued his discourse:
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Job took up his subject again:
2 “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
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Oh, that life was like it used to be, like days when God watched over me;
3 when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!
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when his lamp shone on my head, I walked by his light in the dark;
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,
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when I was in my prime; when God's counsel was in my tent;
5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
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when the Almighty was with me, my children around me;
6 when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
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when my steps were washed with cream and a rock poured out pools of oil for me.
7 “When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
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When I went out to the city gate, took my seat in the square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet;
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the young saw me and drew back; the old rose and stood;
9 the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
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princes restrained speech, put their hand on their mouth;
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
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the voices of officials were hushed, their tongue stuck to their palate.
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,
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Indeed, the ear that heard blessed me; the eye that looked commended me,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
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because I rescued the weak who cried out, the orphans who lacked help.
13 The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
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The blessing of the perishing reached me; I made the widow's heart sing;
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
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I put on justice, and it clothed me, righteousness as my coat and turban;
15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
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I was eyes to the blind, feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
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I was a father to the needy; the case I didn't know, I examined.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
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I shattered the fangs of the wicked, rescued prey from their teeth.
18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
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I thought, I'll die in my nest, multiply days like sand,
19 My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
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my roots opening to water, dew lingering on my branches,
20 My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.’
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my honor newly with me, my bow ever successful in my hand.
21 “People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
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People listened to me and waited, were silent for my advice.
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
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After my speech, they didn't respond. My words fell gently on them;
23 They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.
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they waited for me as for rain, opened their mouth as for spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
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I smiled on them; they couldn't believe it. They never showed me disfavor.
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.
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I decided their path, sat as chief. I lived like a king with his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
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Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible