1JOB UTTERED THESE WORDS: 2»Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me; 3when his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness. 4»I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent. 5The Almighty was still with me, and my children were all around me. 6»My steps were washed with milk and the rock poured out streams of oil for me! 7»When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square, 8the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood. 9»The nobles refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths. 10»The voices of princes were hushed. Their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. 11»When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved. 12»This is because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper. 13»The blessing of the wretched came upon me. I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14»I put on righteousness and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a turban. 15»I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. 16»I was a father to the needy! I championed the cause of the stranger. 17»I broke the fangs of the unrighteous. I made them drop their prey from their teeth. 18»Then I thought: I shall die in my nest house, and I shall multiply my days like the grains of sand. 19»My roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches. 20»My glory was fresh within me, and my bow ever new in my hand. 21»They listened to me, and waited! They kept quiet to hear my counsel. 22»After I spoke they did not speak again, and my word dropped upon them like dew. 23»They waited for me as for the rain. They opened their mouths as for the spring rain. 24»I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not extinguish the light of my countenance. 25»I chose their way, and sat as chief. I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners.