New International Version NIV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Job continued his discourse:
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Job again took up his discourse and said:
2 “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over 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 lamp shone on my head and 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 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 the friendship of God was upon my tent;
5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
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when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were 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 milk, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
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 gate of the city, when I 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 men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood;
9 the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
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the nobles refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths;
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 princes were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,
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When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved;
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 delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper.
13 The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
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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 as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
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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 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 needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
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I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
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I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made them drop their 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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Then I thought, "I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;
19 My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
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my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches;
20 My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.’
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my glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
21 “People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
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"They listened to me, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
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After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them like dew.
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 the rain; they opened their mouths as for the 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 when they had no confidence; and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish.
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 chose their way, and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.