Job 29

Job explains the way that he feels ^{▼▼29:0 In chapter 29, Job remembers his life before all his troubles. He was a happy man. And God was always with him. He remembers, too, all the people that he helped.} ^{▼▼29:0 In chapter 30, Job speaks about his troubles. He has no money. He has no friends who can help him. But he does have a lot of pain. And the worst thing is that God will not answer his questions any more (verse 20).} ^{▼▼29:0 In chapter 31, Job says that he has always lived the right way. He says that he has always spoken true words. He says that he has always been fair. And he has helped other people who have had troubles. He is sure that God knows this. But God may think that it is not right. So he should tell Job about the wrong things that Job has done.}

1 Job continued to speak. And this is what he said.

2 ‘There was a time, many months ago, when I was happy.

At that time, God watched the things that I did.

And because he was with me, bad things did not happen to me.

3 He was my guide and he showed me how to live the right way.

His light seemed to shine on my head.

4 At that time, I was strong and I had good health.

God was my best friend and he kept my home safe.

5 He was always with me.

And my children were still alive.

6 At that time, I got plenty of milk from my cows.

And I got lots of oil from my olive-trees.

7 Sometimes I went to the gate of the city.

There I sat down with the people who ruled the city.

8 Young men moved to let me go by.

Even the old men stood up when I arrived.

9 Princes stopped speaking.

And they covered their mouths with their hands.

10 The nobles were quiet.

They closed their mouths and they did not say anything.

11 People heard the things that I said. They saw the things that I did.

And they were happy because of them.

12 When poor people needed help, I saved them.

And if children had no parents, I helped them.

13 I helped men who were near to death. And they thanked me for my help.

I made widows happy again when they were sad.

14 Everyone knew that I always did right things.

I was always fair and I was always honest.

15 If people could not see, I guided them.

If people could not walk, I fetched things for them.

16 If poor people came to me for help, I was like their father.

I helped strangers when they had no one else to speak for them.

17 I destroyed the power of cruel men.

I saved the people that they had attacked.

18 I thought that I would live to be an old man.

And then I would die in my own house with my family round me.

19 I always had good health.

I was like a tree that had plenty of water.

20 I thought that I would always be strong.

I thought that I would always be a great man.

21 Men waited patiently to hear what I would say.

They knew that I was wise. So they waited quietly to learn from me.

22 After I spoke, they did not speak again.

They were happy to hear the things that I said to them.

23 They waited for me to speak to them.

The things that I said were valuable to them, like rain in the spring.

24 They were surprised when I smiled at them.

And my smile made them happy.

25 I told them what they should do. I lived among them like a king who lives with his army.

And when they were sad, I helped them to be happy again.’