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1. Job now resumed his response:
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1. Moreover H3254 Job H347 continued H5375 his parable H4912 , and said H559 ,
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2. "Oh, how I long for the good old days, when God took such very good care of 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. He always held a lamp before me and I walked through the dark by its light.
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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. Oh, how I miss those golden years when God's friendship graced 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. When the Mighty One was still by my side 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. When everything was going my way, and nothing seemed too difficult.
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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. "When I walked downtown and sat with my friends in the public square,
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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. Young and old greeted me with respect; I was honored by everyone in town.
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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. When I spoke, everyone listened;
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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. they hung on my every word.
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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. People who knew me spoke well of me; my reputation went ahead of 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. I was known for helping people in trouble and standing up for those who were down on their luck.
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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. The dying blessed me, and the bereaved were cheered by my visits.
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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. All my dealings with people were good. I was known for being fair to everyone I met.
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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 eyes to the blind and feet to the lame,
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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. Father to the needy, and champion of abused aliens.
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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 grabbed street thieves by the scruff of the neck and made them give back what they'd stolen.
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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 thought, 'I'll die peacefully in my own bed, grateful for a long and full life,
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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. A life deep-rooted and well-watered, a life limber and dew-fresh,
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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. My soul suffused with glory and my body robust until the day I die.'
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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. "Men and women listened when I spoke, hung expectantly on my every word.
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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. After I spoke, they'd be quiet, taking it all in.
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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 welcomed my counsel like spring rain, drinking it all in.
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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. When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing!
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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, establishing the mood and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed.
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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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