Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian; When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness! As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent; When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me; When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil! When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place, The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood. The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth. The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me. For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, And I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy. I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem. I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame; I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out; And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws. Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand. My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches. My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.” To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them. Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain. If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall. When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.
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