Young's Literal Translation YLT
Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
1 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --
1
Job continued his discourse, saying:
2 Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
2
If only I could be as in months gone by, in the days when God watched over me,
3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
3
when His lamp shone above my head, and I walked through darkness by His light!
4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
4
[I would be] as I was in the days of my youth when God's friendship rested on my tent,
5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me -- my young ones,
5
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.
6
when my feet were bathed in cream and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!
7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
7
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the town square,
8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.
8
the young men saw me and withdrew, while older men stood to their feet.
9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
9
City officials stopped talking and covered their mouths with [their] hands.
10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
10
The noblemen's voices were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.
11
When they heard me, they blessed me, and when they saw me, they spoke well of me.
12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
12
For I rescued the poor man who cried out for help, and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.
13 The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
13
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice.
14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
14
I clothed myself in righteousness, and it enveloped me; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
15
I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
16
I was a father to the needy, and I examined the case of the stranger.
17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
17
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
18
So I thought: I will die in my own nest and multiply [my] days as the sand.
19 My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
19
My roots will have access to water, and the dew will rest on my branches all night.
20 My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
20
My strength will be refreshed within me, and my bow will be renewed in my hand.
21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
21
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my advice.
22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
22
After a word from me they did not speak again; my speech settled on them [like dew].
23 And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
23
They waited for me as for the rain and opened their mouths as for spring showers.
24 I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
24
If I smiled at them, they couldn't believe [it]; they were thrilled at the light of my countenance.
25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
25
I directed their course and presided as chief. I lived as a king among his troops, like one who comforts those who mourn.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.