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Job 29
New Century Version
Job 29
New Century Version
Job Continues
29 Job continued to speak:
2 “How I wish for the months that have passed
and the days when God watched over me.
3 God’s lamp shined on my head,
and I walked through darkness by his light.
4 I wish for the days when I was strong,
when God’s close friendship blessed my house.
5 The Almighty was still with me,
and my children were all around me.
6 It was as if my path were covered with cream
and the rocks poured out olive oil for me.
7 I would go to the city gate
and sit in the public square.
8 When the young men saw me, they would step aside,
and the old men would stand up in respect.
9 The leading men stopped speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the important men were quiet,
as if their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 Anyone who heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me praised me,
12 because I saved the poor who called out
and the orphan who had no one to help.
13 The dying person blessed me,
and I made the widow’s heart sing.
14 I put on right living as if it were clothing;
I wore fairness like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame.
16 I was like a father to needy people,
and I took the side of strangers who were in trouble.
17 I broke the fangs of evil people
and snatched the captives from their teeth.
18 “I thought, ‘I will live for as many days as there are grains of sand,
and I will die in my own house.
19 My roots will reach down to the water.
The dew will lie on the branches all night.
20 New honors will come to me continually,
and I will always have great strength.’
21 “People listened to me carefully
and waited quietly for my advice.
22 After I finished speaking, they spoke no more.
My words fell very gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as they would for rain
and drank in my words like spring rain.
24 I smiled at them when they doubted,
and my approval was important to them.
25 I chose the way for them and was their leader.
I lived like a king among his army,
like a person who comforts sad people.
Job 29
New International Version
Job 29
New International Version
Job’s Final Defense
29 Job continued his discourse:(A)
2 “How I long for the months gone by,(B)
for the days when God watched over me,(C)
3 when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!(D)
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendship(E) blessed my house,(F)
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children(G) were around me,(H)
6 when my path was drenched with cream(I)
and the rock(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.(K)
7 “When I went to the gate(L) of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside(M)
and the old men rose to their feet;(N)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking(O)
and covered their mouths with their hands;(P)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,(Q)
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.(R)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,(S)
12 because I rescued the poor(T) who cried for help,
and the fatherless(U) who had none to assist them.(V)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(W)
I made the widow’s(X) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(Y) as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.(Z)
15 I was eyes(AA) to the blind
and feet to the lame.(AB)
16 I was a father to the needy;(AC)
I took up the case(AD) of the stranger.(AE)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims(AF) from their teeth.(AG)
18 “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.(AH)
19 My roots will reach to the water,(AI)
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.(AJ)
20 My glory will not fade;(AK)
the bow(AL) will be ever new in my hand.’(AM)
21 “People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.(AN)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;(AO)
my words fell gently on their ears.(AP)
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.(AQ)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face(AR) was precious to them.[a](AS)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;(AT)
I dwelt as a king(AU) among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.(AV)
Footnotes
- Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.