Job 29:6-1964 bbe — When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me. When I went out of my door…

“When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil! When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street, The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood; The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth; The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. For when the ear heardme, then it blessed me; And when the eye sawme, it gave witness unto me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth. Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand: My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch: My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand. Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them. And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wideasfor the latter rain. I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down. I chose out their way, and sataschief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners. ”

“when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil! When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. Job’s Benevolence“As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me, for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow’s heart rejoice; I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth. Job’s Confidence“Then I thought,‘I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand. My roots reach the water, and the dew lies on my branches all night long. My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.’ Job’s Reputation“People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice. After I had spoken, they did not respond; my words fell on them drop by drop. They waited for me as people wait for the rain, and they opened their mouths as for the spring rains. If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it; and they did not cause the light of my face to darken. I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I lived like a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.”