The Webster Bible WBT
New International Version NIV
1 Moreover, Job continued his parable, and said,
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Job continued his discourse:
2 Oh that I were as [in] months past, as [in] the days [when] God preserved me;
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“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 When his candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [through] darkness;
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when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
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Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,
5 When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [when] my children [were] about me;
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when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
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when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!
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“When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.
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the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet;
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their mouth.
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the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
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the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:
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Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.
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because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
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The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.
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I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet [was] I 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 poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.
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I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
17 And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
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I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.
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“I thought, ‘I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
19 My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
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My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
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My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.’
21 To me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
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“People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
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After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
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They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.
24 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
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When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.
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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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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.