Job 29 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 29 ▼
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1 Job continued his poems and said, And Job again took up his discourse, and said: Job continued his discourse:
2 |If only my life could be like it used to be, in the days when God watched over me, “Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 when he made his lamp shine on my head, when I walked through the dark in his light. when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!
4 If only I were in the prime of my life [again], when God was an adviser in my tent. as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,
5 When the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 my steps were bathed in buttermilk, and the rocks poured streams of olive oil on me. when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
7 When I went through the city gate and took my seat in the town square, When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, “When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
8 young men saw me and kept out of sight. Old men stood up straight out of respect [for me]. the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood; the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet;
9 Princes held back [their] words and put their hands over their mouths. the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth; the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 The voices of nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 |[Any] ears that heard me blessed me. [Any] eyes that saw me spoke well of me, When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved, Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,
12 because I rescued the poor who called [for help] and the orphans who had no one to help them. because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
13 I received a blessing from the dying. I made the widow's heart sing for joy. The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it was my clothing. I practiced justice, and it was my robe and my turban. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind person. I was feet for the lame person. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 I was father to the needy. I carefully investigated cases brought by strangers. I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
17 I broke the teeth of the wicked person and made him drop the prey out of his mouth. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
18 |I thought, 'I may die in my own house, but I will make my days as numerous as the sand. Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
19 My roots will grow toward the water, and dew will lie on my branches all night. my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches, My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 My power will be fresh [every day], and the bow in my hand will remain new.' my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.’ My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.’
21 |People listened to me eagerly, quietly waiting for my advice. “Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. “People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After I had spoken, they wouldn't speak again. After all, my words fell gently on them. After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them. After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
23 They were as eager to hear me as they were for rain. They opened their mouths wide as if waiting for a spring shower. They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it, but the expression on my face did not change. I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down. When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
25 I decided how they should live. I sat as their leader. I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners. I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners. 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.
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