| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1And Job again took up his discourse, and said: | 1Job continued speaking: |
| 2“Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, | 2“I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, |
| 3when his lamp shone upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness, | 3when he lit up the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness. |
| 4as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, | 4When I was in my prime, God’s friendship was felt in my home. |
| 5when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, | 5The Almighty was still with me, and my children were around me. |
| 6when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! | 6My steps were awash in cream, and the rocks gushed olive oil for me. |
| 7When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square, | 7“Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders. |
| 8the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose and stood; | 8The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming. |
| 9the princes refrained from talking and laid their hand on their mouth; | 9The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths. |
| 10the voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. | 10The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect. |
| 11When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved, | 11“All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me. |
| 12because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. | 12For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. |
| 13The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. | 13I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. |
| 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. | 14Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban. |
| 15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. | 15I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. |
| 16I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. | 16I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help. |
| 17I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. | 17I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth. |
| 18Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, | 18“I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life. |
| 19my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches, | 19For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew. |
| 20my glory fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.’ | 20New honors are constantly bestowed on me, and my strength is continually renewed.’ |
| 21“Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. | 21“Everyone listened to my advice. They were silent as they waited for me to speak. |
| 22After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them. | 22And after I spoke, they had nothing to add, for my counsel satisfied them. |
| 23They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. | 23They longed for me to speak as people long for rain. They drank my words like a refreshing spring rain. |
| 24I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my face they did not cast down. | 24When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them. |
| 25I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners. | 25Like a chief, I told them what to do. I lived like a king among his troops and comforted those who mourned. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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