## Job Continues His Discourse 

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And Job continued to lift up his discourse and said, 

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"Oh that I were as in months gone by, As in the days when God kept me, 

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When His lamp shone over my head, _And_ by His light I walked through darkness, 

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As I was in the prime of my days, When the _intimate_ counsel with God _was_ over my tent, 

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When the Almighty was yet with me, _And_ my children were around me, 

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When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil! 

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When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the square, 

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The young men saw me and hid, And the old men arose _and_ stood. 

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The princes stopped talking And put _their_ hands on their mouths; 

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The voice of the nobles was hidden _away_, And their tongue clung to their palate. 

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For the ear heard, and it called me blessed, And the eye saw, and it gave witness of me, 

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Because I provided escape for the afflicted who cried for help, And the orphan who had no helper. 

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The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow's heart sing for joy. 

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I clothed _myself_ with righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. 

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I was eyes to the blind And feet to the lame. 

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I was a father to the needy, And I searched out the case which I did not know. 

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I broke the fangs of the unjust And snatched the prey from his teeth. 

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Then I said, 'I will breathe my last in my nest, And I shall multiply _my_ days as the sand. 

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My root is spread out to the waters, And dew lies all night on my branch. 

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My glory is _ever_ new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.' 

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"To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel. 

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After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them. 

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They waited for me as for the rain, And opened their mouth as for the late rain. 

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I laughed with them _as_ they could not believe _it_, And the light of my face they did not cast down. 

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I chose a way for them and sat as chief, And dwelt as _their_ head among the troops, As one who comforted the mourners.