Job 29 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 29 ▼
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NLT
New Living Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 Job continued speaking: And Job again took up his discourse, and said: Job continued his discourse:
2 “I long for the years gone by when God took care of 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 lit up the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness. 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 When I was in my prime, God’s friendship was felt in my home. 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 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 awash in cream, and the rocks gushed olive oil for 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 “Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders. 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 The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming. 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 The princes stood in silence 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 highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect. 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 “All who heard me praised me. All who 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 For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. 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 helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to 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 Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a 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 served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. 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 a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help. 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 jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth. 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, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life. 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 For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew. 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 New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.’ 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 “Everyone listened to my advice. They were silent as they waited for me to speak. “Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. “People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 And after I spoke, they had nothing to add, for my counsel satisfied 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 longed for me to speak as people long for rain. They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain. 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 they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them. 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 Like a chief, I told them what to do. I lived like a king among his troops and comforted those who mourned. 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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