And Job - ... continued his discourse ... :
“ How I long ... for the months gone by , for the days when God watched over me ,
when His lamp shone above my head , and by His light I walked through the darkness ,
when I was vvv in my prime , when the friendship of God rested on my tent ,
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me ,
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil !
When I went out to the city gate ... and took my seat in the public square ,
the young men saw me and withdrew , and the old men rose to their feet.
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
The voices of the nobles were hushed , and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
For those who heard me called me blessed , and those who saw me commended me ,
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
The dying man ... ... blessed me , and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
I put on righteousness , and it clothed me ; justice was my robe and my turban.
I (served as) eyes to the blind (and) as feet to the lame.
I was a father to the needy , and I took up the case of the stranger ....
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
So I thought : ‘ I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
My roots (will) spread out to the waters , and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
My glory is (ever) new within me , and my bow is renewed in my hand. ’
Men listened with expectation , waiting silently for my counsel.
After my words , they spoke no more ; my speech settled on them like dew.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words ... like spring showers.
If I smiled at them , they did not believe it ; the light of my countenance vvv was precious.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops , as a comforter ... of the mourners. (’’)