1 And Iyoḇ again took up his discourse, and said,
2 “Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when Eloah protected me;
3 when His lamp shone on my head, when I walked in the dark by His light;
4 as I was in the days of my autumn, when the intimacy of Eloah was on my tent;
5 when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me;
6 when my steps were bathed with cream, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me.
7 When I went out to the gate by the city, to take my seat in the open square,
8 the young men saw me and hid, and the aged rose up, they stood;
9 rulers held back their words, and laid a hand on their mouth;
10 the voice of leaders was hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.
11 For when the ear heard, it blessed me, and when the eye saw, it gave witness of me;
12 because I rescued the poor who cried out, and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 The blessing of the perishing one would come upon me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it robed me; right-ruling was my cloak and turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor, and I investigated the case which I did not know.
17 And I broke the jaws of the perverse, and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 Then I thought I would die in my nest, and increase my days as the sand,
19 my root reaching out to the waters, and dew lying all night on my branch,
20 my esteem fresh within me, and my bow renewed in my hand.
21 To me they listened, and they waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 After my words they did not speak again, and my speech settled on them.
23 And they waited for me like the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 I smiled at those who did not believe, and the light of my face they did not dim.
25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief, and I dwelt like a sovereign in the army, like one who comforts mourners.