To explore why righteous people suffer and to show that God's wisdom is beyond human understanding, yet He is just and faithful.
1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, {continued: Heb. added to take up}
2Oh that I were as {in} months past, as {in} the days {when} God preserved me;
3When his candle shined upon my head, {and when} by his light I walked {through} darkness; {candle: or, lamp}
4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God {was} upon my tabernacle;
5When the Almighty {was} yet with me, {when} my children {were} about me;
6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; {me: Heb. with me}
7When I went out to the gate through the city, {when} I prepared my seat in the street!
8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, {and} stood up.
9The princes refrained talking, and laid {their} hand on their mouth.
10The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. {The nobles...: Heb. The voice of the nobles was hid}
11When the ear heard {me}, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw {me}, it gave witness to me:
12Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and {him that had} none to help him.
13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment {was} as a robe and a diadem.
15I was eyes to the blind, and feet {was} I to the lame.
16I {was} a father to the poor: and the cause {which} I knew not I searched out.
17And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. {the jaws: Heb. the jawteeth, or, the grinders} {plucked: Heb. cast}
18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply {my} days as the sand.
19My root {was} spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. {spread...: Heb. opened}
20My glory {was} fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. {fresh: Heb. new} {renewed: Heb. changed}
21Unto me {men} gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
23And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide {as} for the latter rain.
24{If} I laughed on them, they believed {it} not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one {that} comforteth the mourners.