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1. Job continued to speak:
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1. Moreover H3254 Job H347 continued H5375 his parable H4912 , and said H559 ,
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2. "I wish my life could be the same as it was a few months ago, when God watched over me and cared for me.
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2. Oh that H4310 I were H5414 as in months H3391 past H6924 , as in the days H3117 when God H433 preserved H8104 me;
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3. God's light shined above me, so I could walk through the darkness.
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3. When his candle H5216 shined H1984 upon H5921 my head H7218 , and when by his light H216 I walked H1980 through darkness H2822 ;
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4. I wish for the days when I was successful, when I enjoyed God's friendship and blessing in my home.
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4. As H834 I was H1961 in the days H3117 of my youth H2779 , when the secret H5475 of God H433 was upon H5921 my tabernacle H168 ;
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5. God All-Powerful was still with me then, and my children were all around me.
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5. When the Almighty H7706 was yet H5750 with H5978 me, when my children H5288 were about H5439 me;
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6. Life was so good that I washed my feet in cream and had plenty of the finest oils.
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6. When I washed H7364 my steps H1978 with butter H2529 , and the rock H6697 poured me out H6694 H5978 rivers H6388 of oil H8081 ;
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7. "Those were the days when I went to the city gate and sat in the public meeting of the elders.
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7. When I went out H3318 to the gate H8179 through H5921 the city H7176 , when I prepared H3559 my seat H4186 in the street H7339 !
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8. When the young men saw me coming, they stepped out of my way. And the old men stood up to show they respected me.
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8. The young men H5288 saw H7200 me , and hid themselves H2244 : and the aged H3453 arose H6965 , and stood up H5975 .
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9. The leaders of the people stopped talking and put their hands over their mouths.
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9. The princes H8269 refrained H6113 talking H4405 , and laid H7760 their hand H3709 on their mouth H6310 .
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10. Even the most important leaders were quiet, as if their tongues were stuck to the roof of their mouths.
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10. The nobles H5057 held H2244 their peace H6963 , and their tongue H3956 cleaved H1692 to the roof of their mouth H2441 .
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11. All who heard me said good things about me. Those who saw what I did praised me,
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11. When H3588 the ear H241 heard H8085 me , then it blessed H833 me ; and when the eye H5869 saw H7200 me , it gave witness H5749 to me:
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12. because I helped the poor when they cried out. I helped the orphans who had no one to care for them.
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12. Because H3588 I delivered H4422 the poor H6041 that cried H7768 , and the fatherless H3490 , and him that had none H3808 to help H5826 him.
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13. People who were dying asked God to bless me. My help brought joy to widows in need.
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13. The blessing H1293 of him that was ready to perish H6 came H935 upon H5921 me : and I caused the widow H490 's heart H3820 to sing for joy H7442 .
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14. Right living was my clothing. Fairness was my robe and turban.
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14. I put on H3847 righteousness H6664 , and it clothed H3847 me : my judgment H4941 was as a robe H4598 and a diadem H6797 .
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15. I was like eyes for the blind, like feet for the crippled.
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15. I was H1961 eyes H5869 to the blind H5787 , and feet H7272 was I H589 to the lame H6455 .
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16. I was like a father to the poor. I helped people I didn't even know win their case in court.
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16. I H595 was a father H1 to the poor H34 : and the cause H7379 which I knew H3045 not H3808 I searched out H2713 .
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17. I stopped evil people from abusing their power and saved innocent people from them.
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17. And I broke H7665 the jaws H4973 of the wicked H5767 , and plucked H7993 the spoil H2964 out of his teeth H4480 H8127 .
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18. "I always thought I would live a long life, growing old with my family around me.
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18. Then I said H559 , I shall die H1478 in H5973 my nest H7064 , and I shall multiply H7235 my days H3117 as the sand H2344 .
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19. I was like a healthy plant with roots that have plenty of water and branches that are wet with dew.
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19. My root H8328 was spread out H6605 by H413 the waters H4325 , and the dew H2919 lay all night H3885 upon my branch H7105 .
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20. I thought each new day would bring more honor and be full of new possibilities.
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20. My glory H3519 was fresh H2319 in H5978 me , and my bow H7198 was renewed H2498 in my hand H3027 .
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21. "In the past people listened to me. They waited quietly for my advice.
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21. Unto me men gave ear H8085 , and waited H3176 , and kept silence H1826 at H3926 my counsel H6098 .
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22. When I finished speaking, they had nothing more to say. My words fell gently on their ears.
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22. After H310 my words H1697 they spoke not again H8138 H3808 and my speech H4405 dropped H5197 upon H5921 them.
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23. They waited for my words as they would for rain. They drank them in like rain in the springtime.
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23. And they waited H3176 for me as for the rain H4306 ; and they opened H6473 their mouth H6310 wide as for the latter rain H4456 .
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24. I smiled at them, and they could hardly believe it. My smile made them feel better.
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24. If I laughed H7832 on H413 them , they believed H539 it not H3808 ; and the light H216 of my countenance H6440 they cast not down H5307 H3808 .
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25. I was their leader and made decisions about their future. I was like a king among his troops, comforting those who were sad.
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25. I chose out H977 their way H1870 , and sat H3427 chief H7218 , and dwelt H7931 as a king H4428 in the army H1416 , as H834 one that comforteth H5162 the mourners H57 .
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