Young's Literal Translation YLT
New International Version NIV
1 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --
1
Job continued his discourse:
2 Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
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“How I long for the months gone by, for 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.
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when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!
4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
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Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,
5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me -- my young ones,
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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.
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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 go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
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“When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.
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the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet;
9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
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the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
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the voices of the nobles 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.
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Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,
12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
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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 the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
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The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
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I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
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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.
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I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
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I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
18 And I say, `With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
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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 is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on 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 honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
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My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.’
21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
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“People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
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After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
23 And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened 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 I laugh unto them -- they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
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When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
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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.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.
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.