Job Chapter 29
Job's still dropping knowledge, saying,
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, {continued: Heb. added to take up}
Man, I really wish I could rewind to the days when God had my back;
Oh that I were as {in} months past, as {in} the days {when} God preserved me;
When His glow was lighting up my life, and I was cruising through the shadows;
When his candle shined upon my head, {and when} by his light I walked {through} darkness; {candle: or, lamp}
Back in my younger days, when God’s secrets were just hanging out with me;
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God {was} upon my tabernacle;
When the Big Man was rolling with me, and my fam was all around;
When the Almighty {was} yet with me, {when} my children {were} about me;
When I was living it up, cleaning my steps with butter, and stones were oozing oil like it was no biggie;
When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; {me: Heb. with me}
When I pulled up to the city gate, setting up my throne out in the streets!
When I went out to the gate through the city, {when} I prepared my seat in the street!
The young guns saw me and bounced, while the old heads stood tall like, "Respect."
The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, {and} stood up.
The princes kept it low-key, covering their mouths like, "Whoa."
The princes refrained talking, and laid {their} hand on their mouth.
The nobles were hush, like their tongues were stuck to the roof of their mouths.
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. {The nobles...: Heb. The voice of the nobles was hid}
When folks heard me, they blessed me; when they peeped me, they were like, "Facts."
When the ear heard {me}, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw {me}, it gave witness to me:
'Cause I was there for the needy, for the orphans, and those feeling alone.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and {him that had} none to help him.
The blessing of those about to vanish came upon me, and I made the widow's heart sing.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
I rocked righteousness like a killer fit, my judgment was like a crown.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment {was} as a robe and a diadem.
I was the eyes for the blind, and the feet for the lame.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet {was} I to the lame.
I was a father to the poor, and I sought out causes I didn’t even know existed.
I {was} a father to the poor: and the cause {which} I knew not I searched out.
I smashed the jaws of the wicked and snatched the loot right outta their teeth.
And 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}
I claimed, "I’m gonna chill in my nest and vibe long like the sands of time."
Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply {my} days as the sand.
My roots were soaking in the waters, and the dew was resting on my branches all night.
My root {was} spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. {spread...: Heb. opened}
My glory was fresh, and my bow was on point in my grip.
My glory {was} fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. {fresh: Heb. new} {renewed: Heb. changed}
People tuned in to me, waited, and kept it on the down-low at my words.
Unto me {men} gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
After I dropped my truth, they didn’t say a peep; my words just hit different.
After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
They were waiting for me like it was about to rain, jaws dropped like it was the real deal.
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide {as} for the latter rain.
If I laughed, they were shook; my vibe stayed strong.
{If} I laughed on them, they believed {it} not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
I chose their path, took the lead, living like a king in the crew, comforting those in pain.
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one {that} comforteth the mourners.