New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Job again took up his discourse and said:
1
And Job again took up the word and said,
2 "O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
2
If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!
3 when his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;
3
When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.
4 when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent;
4
As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;
5 when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me;
5
While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;
6 when my steps were washed with milk, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
6
When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square,
7
When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood;
8
The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;
9 the nobles refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths;
9
The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;
10 the voices of princes were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
10
The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.
11 When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved;
11
For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;
12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper.
12
For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.
13 The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
13
The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
14
I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
15
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger.
16
I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
17
By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.
18 Then I thought, "I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;
18
Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;
19 my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches;
19
My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,
20 my glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'
20
My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.
21 "They listened to me, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
21
Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.
22 After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them like dew.
22
After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;
23 They waited for me as for the rain; they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
23
They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence; and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish.
24
I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.
25 I chose their way, and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.
25
I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.