| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, | 1Then Job continued his speech: |
| 2Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; | 2"O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me, |
| 3When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; | 3when he caused his lamp to shine upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; |
| 4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; | 4just as I was in my most productive time, when God's intimate friendship was experienced in my tent, |
| 5When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; | 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me; |
| 6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; | 6when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil! |
| 7When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! | 7When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, |
| 8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. | 8the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; |
| 9The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. | 9the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; |
| 10The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. | 10the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. |
| 11When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: | 11"As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me, |
| 12Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. | 12for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; |
| 13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. | 13the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice; |
| 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. | 14I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; |
| 15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. | 15I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; |
| 16I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. | 16I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; |
| 17And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. | 17I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth. |
| 18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. | 18"Then I thought, 'I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. |
| 19My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. | 19My roots reach the water, and the dew lies on my branches all night long. |
| 20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. | 20My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.' |
| 21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. | 21"People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice. |
| 22After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. | 22After I had spoken, they did not respond; my words fell on them drop by drop. |
| 23And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. | 23They waited for me as people wait for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rains. |
| 24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. | 24If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it; and they did not cause the light of my face to darken. |
| 25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. | 25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I lived like a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners. |
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