| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1And Job continued his discourse: | 1Job continued speaking: |
| 2“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, | 2“I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, |
| 3when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness, | 3when he lit up the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness. |
| 4when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent, | 4When I was in my prime, God’s friendship was felt in my home. |
| 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, | 5The Almighty was still with me, and my children were around me. |
| 6when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! | 6My steps were awash in cream, and the rocks gushed olive oil for me. |
| 7When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square, | 7“Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders. |
| 8the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet. | 8The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming. |
| 9The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. | 9The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths. |
| 10The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. | 10The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect. |
| 11For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me, | 11“All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me. |
| 12because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper. | 12For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. |
| 13The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. | 13I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. |
| 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban. | 14Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban. |
| 15I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame. | 15I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. |
| 16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger. | 16I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help. |
| 17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth. | 17I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth. |
| 18So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand. | 18“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life. |
| 19My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches. | 19For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew. |
| 20My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’ | 20New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.’ |
| 21Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel. | 21“Everyone listened to my advice. They were silent as they waited for me to speak. |
| 22After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew. | 22And after I spoke, they had nothing to add, for my counsel satisfied them. |
| 23They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers. | 23They longed for me to speak as people long for rain. They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain. |
| 24If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious. | 24When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them. |
| 25I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners. | 25Like a chief, I told them what to do. I lived like a king among his troops and comforted those who mourned. |
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