Book of Job, Chapter 29
Job 29 NWT - New World TranslationChapter 29 of Job—New World Translation (NWT)
- ¶ And Job proceeded again to lift up his proverbial utterance and went on to say:
- ¶ “O that I were as in the lunar months of long ago,1
As in the days when God[a] was guarding me;2 - ¶ When he caused his lamp to shine upon my head,
[When] I would walk [through] darkness by his light;3 - ¶ Just as I happened to be in the days of my prime,4
When intimacy with God was at my tent;5 - ¶ When the Almighty was yet with me,
[When] my attendants were all around me! - ¶ When I washed my steps in butter,
And the rock kept pouring out streams of oil for me;[b]6 - ¶ When I went forth to the gate by the town,7
In the public square I would prepare my seat!8 - ¶ The boys saw me and hid themselves,
And even the aged ones rose up, they stood.9 - ¶ Princes themselves restrained words,
And the palm they would put upon their mouth.10 - ¶ The voice of the leaders themselves was hidden,
And their very tongue cleaved to their palate.11 - ¶ For the ear itself listened and proceeded to pronounce me happy,
And the eye itself saw and proceeded to bear witness for me. - ¶ For I would rescue the afflicted one crying for help,12
And the fatherless boy and anyone that had no helper.13 - ¶ The blessing14 of the one about to perish—upon me it would come,
And the heart of the widow I would make glad.15 - ¶ With righteousness I clothed myself, and it was clothing me.16
My justice was like a sleeveless coat—and a turban. - ¶ Eyes I became to the blind one;17
And feet to the lame one I was. - ¶ I was a real father to the poor ones;18
And the legal case of one whom I did not know—I would examine it.19 - ¶ And I would break the jawbones of the wrongdoer,20
And from his teeth I would tear[c] away the prey. - ¶ And I used to say, ‘Within my nest[d] I shall expire,21
And like the grains of sand I shall multiply [my] days.22 - ¶ My root is opened for the waters,23
And dew itself will stay overnight upon my bough. - ¶ My glory is fresh with me,
And my bow in my hand will shoot repeatedly.’ - ¶ To me they listened; and they waited,
And they would keep silent for my counsel.24 - ¶ After my word they would not speak again,
And upon them my word would drip.25 - ¶ And they waited for me as for the rain,26
And their mouth they opened wide for the spring rain.27 - ¶ I would smile at them—they would not believe [it]—
And the light of my face28 they would not cast down. - ¶ I would choose the way for them, and I was sitting as head;
And I resided as a king among [his] troops,29
As one who comforts the mourners.30
FOOTNOTES
- ^ “God.” Heb., ʼElohʹah.
- ^ Lit., “was being poured out as streams of oil with me.”
- ^ “Tear,” by a slight correction; M, “throw.”
- ^ “Within my nest.” Possibly, “In my old age,” to agree with LXX.
REFERENCES
- ^ Jb 3:6
- ^ Jb 1:10
- ^ Ps 18:28; 119:105
- ^ Ec 11:10
- ^ Ps 25:14; Pr 3:32
- ^ De 32:4, 13; 33:24
- ^ De 16:18; Ru 4:1
- ^ Ne 8:1
- ^ Le 19:32
- ^ Jb 21:5
- ^ Ps 137:6
- ^ Ps 72:12; Pr 21:13; 24:11
- ^ De 10:18; Jm 1:27
- ^ De 24:13
- ^ De 10:18
- ^ De 24:13; Ps 132:9; Is 61:10; Eph 6:14
- ^ Nu 10:31
- ^ Lu 14:13; Jm 1:27
- ^ Pr 29:7
- ^ Ps 58:6; Pr 30:14
- ^ Ge 25:8; 2Ki 22:20; Jb 42:17
- ^ Ps 30:6
- ^ Ps 1:3; Je 17:8
- ^ Jb 29:9
- ^ Eze 21:2
- ^ Ps 72:6
- ^ Pr 16:15
- ^ Jb 30:26
- ^ Jb 1:3
- ^ Ec 7:2; 1Th 5:11
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