Job 29

And unto man he said, Behold, the {o} fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom; and to depart from evil [is] understanding.

(o) He declares that man has as much of this heavenly wisdom as he shows by fearing God and departing from evil. When his {a} candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [through] {b} darkness;

(a) When I felt his favour. (b) I was free from affliction. As I was in the days of my youth, when the {c} secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;

(c) That is, seemed by evident tokens to be more present with me. When I washed my steps {d} with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

(d) By these comparisons he declares the great prosperity that he was in, so that he had no opportunity to be such a sinner as they accused him. The young men saw me, and {e} hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.

(e) Being ashamed of their lightness and afraid of my gravity. The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their {f} mouth.

(f) Acknowledging my wisdom. When the {g} ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:

(g) All that heard me, praised me. Because I delivered the {i} poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.

(i) Because his adversaries did so much charge him with wickedness, he is compelled to render account of his life. {k} The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

(k) That is, I helped him who was in distress, and so he had cause to praise me. I put on {l} righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.

(l) I delighted to do justice, as others did to wear costly apparel. Then I said, I shall die in my {m} nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.

(m) That is, at home in my bed without all trouble and unquietness. My root [was] {n} spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

(n) My happiness increases. After my words they spake not again; and my speech {o} dropped upon them.

(o) That is, was pleasant to them. And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide {p} [as] for the latter rain.

(p) As the dry ground thirsts for the rain. [If] I {q} laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they {r} cast not down.

(q) That is, they thought it not to be a rest, or they did not think that I would condescend to them. (r) They were afraid to offend me and cause me to be angry. I chose out {s} their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.

(s) I had them at commandment.