IV. Job’s Concluding Soliloquy (29:1-31:40)
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Job Recalls His Former Condition
29:1 Then Job continued1
his speech, and said,
29:2 O that I could be2
as3
I was
in the months now gone,4
for the days5
when God watched6
over me,
29:3 when7
he caused8
his lamp9
to shine upon my head,
and by his light
I walked10
through darkness;11
29:4 just as I was in my productive time,12
when God’s intimate friendship13
was in my tent.
29:5 when the Almighty was still with me,
and my children were14
around me;
29:6 when my steps15
were bathed16
with butter,17
and the rock poured out for me streams of oil;18
29:7 when I went out to the gate of the city
and secured my seat in the public square,19
29:8 the young men would see me and would withdraw,20
and the old men would get up and remain standing;
29:9 the chief men restrained their words
and covered their mouth with their hands;
29:10 the voices of the nobles were became silent,21
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
Job’s Benevolence
29:11 As soon as the ear heard these things,22
it blessed me,23
and when the eye saw them it bore witness to me,
29:12 for I rescued the poor man who cried out for help,
and the orphan who24
had no one to help him;
29:13 the blessing of the dying man descended upon
me,25
I made the widow’s heart rejoice;26
29:14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me,27
my just dealing28
was like a robe and a turban;
29:15 I was eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame;
29:16 I was a father29
to the needy,
and I investigated the case of one I did not know;
29:17 I broke the fangs30
of the wicked,
and made him drop31
his prey from his teeth.
Job’s Confidence
29:18 Then I thought, “I will die in my house,32
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.33
29:19 My roots reaches the water,
and the dew lies on my branches all night.
29:20 My glory34
will always be fresh35
in me,
and my bow ever new in my hand.
Job’s Reputation
29:21 Men36
listened to me and waited silently,37
they kept silent for my advice;
29:22 After my words, they did not respond,
my words fell on them drop by drop;38
29:23 They waited for me as men wait39
for the rain,
and they opened their mouths40
as for41
the latter rains.
29:24 If I smiled at them, they hardly believed
it;42
and the light of my face they did not darken.43
29:25 I chose44
the way for them45
and sat as their chief,46
I dwelt as a king among his troops,
I was like one who comforts mourners.47