# Chapter 29
1. Job further continued his discourse, and said:

2. "Oh, that I were as _in_ months past,
As _in_ the days _when_ God watched over me;

3. When His lamp shone upon my head,
_And when_ by His light I walked _through_ darkness;

4. Just as I was in the days of my prime,
When the friendly counsel of God _was_ over my tent;

5. When the Almighty _was_ yet 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,
_When_ I took my seat in the open square,

8. The young men saw me and hid,
And the aged arose _and_ stood;

9. The princes refrained from talking,
And put _their_ hand on their mouth;

10. The voice of nobles was hushed,
And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11. When the ear heard, then it blessed me,
And when the eye saw, then it approved me;

12. Because I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and _the one who_ had no helper.

13. The blessing of a perishing _man_ came upon me,
And 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 I _was_ feet to the lame.

16. I _was_ a father to the poor,
And I searched out the case _that_ I did not know.

17. I broke the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.

18. "Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest,
And multiply _my_ days as the sand.

19. My root _is_ spread out to the waters,
And the dew lies all night on my branch.

20. My glory _is_ fresh within me,
And my bow is renewed in my hand.'

21. "_Men_ listened to me and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.

22. After my words they did not speak again,
And my speech settled on them _as dew._

23. They waited for me _as_ for the rain,
And they opened their mouth wide _as_ for the spring rain.

24. _If_ I mocked at them, they did not believe _it,_
And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.

25. I chose the way for them, and sat as chief;
So I dwelt as a king in the army,
As one _who_ comforts mourners.