Job's Final Defense
2 Who will give me as the months of old, as the days God will watch me?
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
2 If only I could be as in months gone by,in the days when God watched over me,
2 "I wish I could go back to how things were a few months ago; when God used to watch over me,
7 In my going forth to the gate upon the city, in the street I shall prepare my seat
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
7 When I went out to the city gateand took my seat in the town square,
7 "Whenever I went out to the city gate, a seat had been reserved for me in the plaza.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the old men rose up and stood.
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,And the old men arose and stood.
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,while older men stood to their feet.
8 The young men would see me and withdraw, and the aged would rise and stand.
10 The voice the leaders hid, and their tongue was joined to their palate.
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
10 The noblemen’s voices were hushed,and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
10 The voices of the commanders-in-chief were hushed, and their tongues would cling to the roofs of their mouths."
12 For I shall deliver the poor crying, and the orphan, and none helping to him.
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
12 For I rescued the poor man who cried out for help,and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.(E)
12 because I delivered the poor who were crying for help, along with orphans who had no one to help them.
13 The praise of him perishing will come upon me, and I shall cause the heart of the widow to rejoice.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
13 “The blessing of the one (P)ready to perish came upon me,And I made the (Q)widow’s heart sing for joy.
13 The dying man blessed me,and I made the widow’s heart rejoice.
13 Those who were about to die blessed me, and I made widows sing for joy.
14 I put on justice and it will clothe me: my judgment as an upper garment and a turban.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
14 I clothed myself in righteousness,(F)and it enveloped me;my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
14 I put on righteousness like clothing; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.
16 I was a father to the needy, and the contention I knew not I shall search it out
16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
16 I was a father to the needy,and I examined the case of the stranger.
16 I was a father to the needy; I diligently inquired into the case of those I didn't know.
21 To me they heard, and they waited, and they will be silent for them at my counsel.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
21 Men listened to me with expectation,waiting silently for my advice.
21 "They listened and waited for me, as they remained in silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they will not repeat, and my speech will drop upon them.
22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
22 After a word from me they did not speak again;my speech settled on them like dew.
22 After I spoke, they had nothing to say, when what I said hit them.
23 And they waited for me as the rain, and they opened wide their mouth for the latter rain.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
23 “They waited for me as for the rain,And opened their mouth as for the spring rain.
23 They waited for me as for the rainand opened their mouths as for spring showers.
23 They waited for me as one waits for rain, as one opens his mouth to drink in a spring rain shower.
24 I shall laugh at them, they will not believe; and the light of my face they will not cast down.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
24 “I smiled on them when they did not believe,And the light of my face they did not cast down.
24 If I smiled at them, they couldn’t believe it;they were thrilled at(c) the light of my countenance.
24 I smiled at them when they had no confidence, and no one could discourage me.
25 I shall choose their way, and I shall sit the head, and I shall dwell as king in the troop, as he shall comfort those mourning.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
25 “I chose a way for them and sat as (AB)chief,And dwelt as a king among the troops,As one who (AC)comforted the mourners.
25 I directed their course and presided as chief.I lived as a king among his troops,like one who comforts those who mourn. >
25 I set an example of the way to live, as a leader would; I lived like a king among his army; like one who comforts mourners."