King James Version KJV
New International Version NIV
1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
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Job continued his discourse:
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
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“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
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when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;
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Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
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when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
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when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
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“When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
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the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet;
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
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the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
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the voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
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Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me,
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
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because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
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The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
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I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
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I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
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I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
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I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
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“I thought, ‘I will die in my own house, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
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My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
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My glory will not fade; the bow will be ever new in my hand.’
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
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“People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
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After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
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They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
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When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
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I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.