1And Iyoḇ again took up his discourse, and said,

2“Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when Eloah protected me;

3when His lamp shone on my head, when I walked in the dark by His light;

4as I was in the days of my autumn, when the intimacy of Eloah was on my tent;

5when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me;

6when my steps were bathed with cream, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me.

7When I went out to the gate by the city, to take my seat in the open square,

8the young men saw me and hid, and the aged rose up, they stood;

9rulers held back their words, and laid a hand on their mouth;

10the voice of leaders was hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.

11For when the ear heard, it blessed me, and when the eye saw, it gave witness of me;

12because I rescued the poor who cried out, and the fatherless who had no helper.

13The blessing of the perishing one would come upon me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

14I put on righteousness, and it robed me; right-ruling was my cloak and turban.

15I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the poor, and I investigated the case which I did not know.

17And I broke the jaws of the perverse, and snatched the prey from his teeth.

18Then I thought I would die in my nest, and increase my days as the sand,

19my root reaching out to the waters, and dew lying all night on my branch,

20my esteem fresh within me, and my bow renewed in my hand.

21To me they listened, and they waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

22After my words they did not speak again, and my speech settled on them.

23And they waited for me like the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

24I smiled at those who did not believe, and the light of my face they did not dim.

25I chose the way for them, and sat as chief, and I dwelt like a sovereign in the army, like one who comforts mourners.