| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Job continued his discourse: | 1Then Job continued his speech: |
| 2"How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over 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 lamp shone on my head and 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; |
| 4Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship blessed my house, | 4just as I was in my most productive time, when God's intimate friendship was experienced in my tent, |
| 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, | 5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me; |
| 6when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil. | 6when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil! |
| 7"When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square, | 7When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, |
| 8the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet; | 8the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; |
| 9the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands; | 9the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; |
| 10the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. | 10the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. |
| 11Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended 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 rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them. | 12for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; |
| 13The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow's heart sing. | 13the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow's heart rejoice; |
| 14I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. | 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 to the lame. | 15I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; |
| 16I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. | 16I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; |
| 17I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth. | 17I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth. |
| 18"I thought, 'I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. | 18"Then I thought, 'I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. |
| 19My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches. | 19My roots reach the water, and the dew lies on my branches all night long. |
| 20My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.' | 20My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.' |
| 21"People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel. | 21"People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice. |
| 22After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears. | 22After I had spoken, they did not respond; my words fell on them drop by drop. |
| 23They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain. | 23They waited for me as people wait for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rains. |
| 24When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them. | 24If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it; and they did not cause the light of my face to darken. |
| 25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts 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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