| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Then Job continued his speech: | 1And Job again took up his discourse, and said: |
| 2"O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me, | 2“Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, |
| 3when he caused his lamp to shine upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; | 3when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, |
| 4just as I was in my most productive time, when God's intimate friendship was experienced in my tent, | 4as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, |
| 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me; | 5when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, |
| 6when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil! | 6when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! |
| 7When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, | 7When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, |
| 8the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; | 8the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood; |
| 9the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; | 9the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth; |
| 10the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. | 10the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. |
| 11"As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me, | 11When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved, |
| 12for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; | 12because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. |
| 13the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice; | 13The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. |
| 14I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; | 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. |
| 15I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; | 15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. |
| 16I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; | 16I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. |
| 17I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth. | 17I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. |
| 18"Then I thought, 'I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. | 18Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, |
| 19My roots reach the water, and the dew lies on my branches all night long. | 19my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches, |
| 20My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.' | 20my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.’ |
| 21"People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice. | 21“Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. |
| 22After I had spoken, they did not respond; my words fell on them drop by drop. | 22After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them. |
| 23They waited for me as people wait for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rains. | 23They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. |
| 24If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it; and they did not cause the light of my face to darken. | 24I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down. |
| 25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I lived like a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners. | 25I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners. |
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