1Moreover Job continued on with his discourse, and said: 2Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me; 3when His lamp shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness; 4just as I was in my productive days, when the counsel of God was over my tent; 5when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were around me; 6when my steps were bathed in butter, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me; 7when I went out to the gate through the city, when I set up my seat in the open square. 8The young men saw me and hid, and the aged arose and stood up; 9the rulers refrained from talking, and put their hand on their mouth; 10the leaders hid their voice, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth. 11When the ear heard, it blessed me, and when the eye saw, it bore witness to me; 12because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no one to help him. 13The blessing of the dying man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. 15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. 16I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the case that I did not know. 17I broke the fangs of the perverse, and flung out the prey from his teeth. 18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand. 19My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch. 20My glory was fresh within me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. 21Men listened to me and waited, and kept silent for my counsel. 22After my speech they did not change anything, and my words dropped upon them. 23They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain. 24I laughed at them when they did not believe it, and did not allow the light of my countenance to fall. 25I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; so I dwelt as a king among the troops, as one who comforts mourners.