¶ Moreover Job continued¹ his parable, and said,

Oh that I were as in months² past, as in the days when God³ preserved me;

When his candle⁴ shined upon my head, and when by his light⁵ I walked through darkness;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret⁶ of God was upon my tabernacle;

When the Almighty⁷ was yet with me, when my children⁸ were about me;

When I washed⁹ my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out¹⁰ rivers of oil;

¶¹¹When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

The young men¹² saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged¹³ arose, and stood up.

The princes refrained¹⁴ talking, and laid¹⁵ their hand on their mouth.

¶ The nobles held their peace¹⁶, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

When the ear¹⁷ heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

Because I delivered¹⁸ the poor that cried, and the fatherless¹⁹, and him that had none to help him.

The blessing²⁰ of him that was ready²¹ to perish came upon me: and I caused²² the widow's heart to sing²³ for joy.

I put²⁴ on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem²⁵.

I was eyes²⁶ to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

I was a father²⁷ to the poor: and the cause²⁸ which I knew not I searched out.

And I brake²⁹ the jaws³⁰ of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

¶ Then I said, I shall die³¹ in my nest, and I shall multiply³² my days as the sand³³.

My root³⁴ was spread out³⁵ by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

¶ My glory³⁶ was fresh³⁷ in me, and my bow was renewed³⁸ in my hand.

Unto me men gave ear³⁹, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

After my⁴⁰ words they spake not again; and my speech⁴¹ dropped upon them.

And they waited for me as for the rain⁴²; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain⁴³.

If I laughed on them, they believed⁴⁴ it not; and the light⁴⁵ of my countenance they cast not down.

I chose out⁴⁶ their way, and sat chief, and dwelt⁴⁷ as a king in the army, as one that⁴⁸ comforteth the mourners.