2Who giveth to me, that I be beside the eld months, by the days in which God kept me? (Who giveth to me, that once more I be, like in the months gone by, yea, those days in which God looked after me?)

3When his lantern shined on mine head, and I went in darknesses at his light (and I walked through the darkness by his light).

4As I was in the days of my youth, when in private God was in my tabernacle (when privately, or secretly, God watched over my tent, or my home).

5When Almighty God was with me, and my children were in my compass (and my children were all about me);

6when I washed my feet in butter, and the stone shedded out to me the streams of oil; [(when I washed my feet with butter, and the stone poured out for me rivers of oil;)]

7when I went forth to the gate of the city, and in the street they made ready a chair to me (and in the street they prepared a chair for me).

8Young wanton men saw me, and were hid, and eld men rising up stood (and old men rose, and stood up to honour me);

9princes ceased to speak, and they putted their finger on their mouth; (leaders ceased to speak, and they covered their mouths with their hands;)

10dukes refrained their voice, and their tongue cleaved to their throat. (rulers refrained their voices, and their tongues cleaved to the roofs of their mouths.)

11The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, yielded witnessing to me (bare witness for me/testified for me);

12for I delivered the poor man crying [out], and the fatherless child, that had no helper. (for I saved the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless child who had no helper.)

13The blessing of a man (who was ready) to perish came (up)on me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.

14I was clothed with rightfulness; and I clothed me as with a cloak, and with my doom a diadem. (I was clothed in righteousness, yea, it covered me; and my judgement was like a robe, and a crown.)

15I was eye to a blind man, and foot to a crooked man. (I was an eye for the blind, and feet for the lame.)

16I was a father of poor men; and I inquired most diligently the cause, which I knew not. (I was a father to the poor; and I inquired most diligently into their case, or their trouble, of which I knew not.)

17I all-brake the great teeth of the wicked man (I broke the teeth of the wicked), and I took away the prey from his teeth.

18And I said, I shall die in my nest; and as a palm tree I shall multiply my days. (And I said, I shall die in my nest; and my days shall be numbered like the sand/like the phoenix.)

19My root is opened beside (the) waters, and dew shall dwell in my reaping (and dew shall stay on my branches).

20My glory shall ever[more] be renewed (My glory shall be renewed forevermore), and my bow shall be restored in mine hand.

21They, that heard me, abided my sentence; and they were attentive, or taking heed to me, and they were still at my counsel. (They, who heard me, waited for my pronouncement; and they were attentive, or taking heed to me, and they listened to what I said.)

22They durst nothing add to my words (They dared add nothing to my words); and my speech dropped upon them.

23They abided me as (for the) rain; and they opened their mouth as to the soft rain coming late. (They waited for my words like for they waited for the rain; and they opened their mouths to drink them in, like the soft rain that cometh late.)

24If any time I laughed to them, they believed not; and the light of my cheer, that is, the gladness of my face, felled not down into the earth. (When I smiled on them, they took heart; and the light of my face, that is, the cheerfulness in my face towards them, encouraged them.)

25If I would go to them, I sat the first; and when I sat as [a] king, while the host stood about, nevertheless I was [the] comforter of them that mourned. (When I went to them, I was the first to sit; and when I sat like a king, while his army stood all around, I was the comforter of those who mourned.)