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29:1 And Job again took up his discourse and said, 29:2 "Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God watched over me; 29:3 When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness; 29:4 As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent; 29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me; 29:6 When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil! 29:7 "When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square, 29:8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the old men arose and stood. 29:9 "The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths; 29:10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to their palate. 29:11 "For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, And when the eye saw, it gave witness of me, 29:12 Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper. 29:13 "The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow's heart sing for joy. 29:14 "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. 29:15 "I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame. 29:16 "I was a father to the needy, And I investigated the case which I did not know. 29:17 "I broke the jaws of the wicked And snatched the prey from his teeth. 29:18 "Then I thought, 'I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand. 29:19 'My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch. 29:20 'My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.' 29:21 "To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel. 29:22 "After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them. 29:23 "They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the spring rain. 29:24 "I smiled on them when they did not believe, And the light of my face they did not cast down. 29:25 "I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.