1And Job continued speaking, and said,

2"Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;

3When His lamp shined upon my head; and when I walked through darkness by His light;

4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

5When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me;

6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock pressed out rivers of oil for me;

7When I went out to the gate of the city; when I prepared my seat in the square!

8The young men saw me and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up.

9The rulers refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths.

10The noble's voice was subdued, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.

11When the ear heard me then it blessed me. And when the eye saw me it gave witness to me.

12For I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help.

13The blessing of him that was ready 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 justice was like a robe and a diadem.

15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I did not know, I searched out.

17I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the sand. '

19My root was spread out to the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

21They listened to me, and waited, and kept silent at my counsel.

22After my words they did not speak again; and my speech dropped on them.

23And they waited for me like the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

24I smiled on them when they did not believe; and the light of my countenance they did not cast down.

25I chose out their way, and sat as chief; and I lived like a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners."