(KJV) Job 29¹

⥃Job’s Former Blessings

[1] Moreover Job continued² his parable, and said, [2] Oh that I were as [in] months³ past, as [in] the days [when] God⁴ preserved me; [3] When his candle⁵ shined upon my head, [and when] by his light⁶ I walked [through] darkness; [4] As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret⁷ of God [was] upon my tabernacle; [5] When the Almighty⁸ [was] yet with me, [when] my children⁹ [were] about me; [6] When I washed¹⁰ my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out¹¹ rivers of oil; [7] When I went out to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!¹² [8] The young men¹³ saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged¹⁴ arose, [and] stood up. [9] The princes refrained¹⁵ talking, and laid¹⁶ [their] hand on their mouth. [10] The nobles held their peace¹⁷, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. [11] When the ear¹⁸ heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me: [12] Because I delivered¹⁹ the poor that cried, and the fatherless²⁰, and [him that had] none to help him. [13] The blessing²¹ of him that was ready²² to perish came upon me: and I caused²³ the widow’s heart to sing²⁴ for joy. [14] I put²⁵ on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem²⁶. [15] I was eyes²⁷ to the blind, and feet [was] I to the lame. [16] I [was] a father²⁸ to the poor: and the cause²⁹ [which] I knew not I searched out. [17] And I brake³⁰ the jaws³¹ of the wicked, and plucked³² the spoil out of his teeth. [18] Then I said, I shall die³³ in my nest, and I shall multiply³⁴ [my] days as the sand³⁵. [19] My root³⁶ [was] spread out³⁷ by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. [20] My glory³⁸ [was] fresh³⁹ in me, and my bow⁴⁰ was renewed⁴¹ in my hand. [21] Unto me [men] gave ear⁴², and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. [22] After my⁴³ words they spake not again; and my speech⁴⁴ dropped upon them. [23] And they waited for me as for the rain⁴⁵; and they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain⁴⁶. [24] [If] I laughed on them, they believed⁴⁷ [it] not; and the light⁴⁸ of my countenance they cast not down. [25] I chose out⁴⁹ their way, and sat chief, and dwelt⁵⁰ as a king in the army, as one [that⁵¹] comforteth the mourners.