Job’s Former Blessings

1So Iob proceeded and went foorth in his parable, saying:

2O that I were as I was in the monethes by past, and in the daies when God preserued me:

3When his light shined vpon my head, when I went after the same light and shining, euen through the darknesse:

4As it stoode with me when I was young, when God prospered my house:

5When the almightie was yet with me, when my children stoode about me:

6When my wayes ranne ouer with butter, and when the stonie rockes gaue me riuers of oyle:

7When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seate, and when I prepared my seate in the streete:

8The young men saw me and hid them selues, and the aged arose, and stoode vp.

9The princes left of their talking, and layed their hand to their mouth:

10The mightie kept still their voyce, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.

11When the eare heard me, it blessed me: & when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me:

12For I deliuered the poore when he cryed, and the fatherlesse, and hym that had none to helpe hym.

13The blessing of him that was redy to perishe came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

14And why? I put vpon me righteousnesse, which couered me as a garment, and equitie was my crowne.

15I was an eye to the blinde, and a foote to the lame.

16I was a father to the poore: and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.

17I brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the spoyle out of his teeth.

18Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest: and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sande.

19For my roote was spread out by the waterside: and the deawe lay vpon my corne.

20Myne honour encreased more and more, & my bow was euer the stronger in my hande.

21Unto me men gaue eare, me they regarded, and with scilence they taried for my counsell.

22After my woordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.

23They wayted for me as for the raine: and gaped vpon me, as the grounde doeth to receaue the latter shoure.

24When I laughed, they beleued it not, & the light of my countenaunce would they not put out.

25When I agreed vnto their way, I was the chiefe, and sate as a king with his armie about him: and when they were in heauinesse, I was their comfortour.