Daily Bible Reading

Job’s Summary Defense

1And Job again took up his discourse, and said:

2“Oh, that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me,

3when his lamp shone upon my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness,

4as I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

5when the Almighty was yet with me,

when my children were all around me,

6when my steps were washed with butter,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I prepared my seat in the square,

8the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose and stood;

9the princes refrained from talking

and laid their hand on their mouth;

10the voice of the nobles was hushed,

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11When the ear heard, it called me blessed,

and when the eye saw, it approved,

12because I delivered the poor who cried for help,

and the fatherless who had none to help him.

13The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,

and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

my justice was like a robe and a turban.

15I was eyes to the blind

and feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the needy,

and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.

17I broke the fangs of the unrighteous

and made him drop his prey from his teeth.

18Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,

and I shall multiply my days as the sand,

19my roots spread out to the waters,

with the dew all night on my branches,

20my glory fresh with me,

and my bow ever new in my hand.’

21“Men listened to me and waited

and kept silence for my counsel.

22After I spoke they did not speak again,

and my word dropped upon them.

23They waited for me as for the rain,

and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

24I smiled on them when they had no confidence,

and the light of my face they did not cast down.

25I chose their way and sat as chief,

and I lived like a king among his troops,

like one who comforts mourners.

Job’s Final Defense

1Job continued his discourse:

2“How I long for the months gone by,

for the days when God watched over me,

3when his lamp shone on my head

and by his light I walked through darkness!

4Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,

when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,

5when the Almighty was still with me

and my children were around me,

6when my path was drenched with cream

and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.

7“When I went to the gate of the city

and took my seat in the public square,

8the young men saw me and stepped aside

and the old men rose to their feet;

9the chief men refrained from speaking

and covered their mouths with their hands;

10the voices of the nobles were hushed,

and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

11Whoever heard me spoke well of me,

and those who saw me commended me,

12because I rescued the poor who cried for help,

and the fatherless who had none to assist them.

13The one who was dying blessed me;

I made the widow’s heart sing.

14I put on righteousness as my clothing;

justice was my robe and my turban.

15I was eyes to the blind

and feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the needy;

I took up the case of the stranger.

17I broke the fangs of the wicked

and snatched the victims from their teeth.

18“I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,

my days as numerous as the grains of sand.

19My roots will reach to the water,

and the dew will lie all night on my branches.

20My glory will not fade;

the bow will be ever new in my hand.’

21“People listened to me expectantly,

waiting in silence for my counsel.

22After I had spoken, they spoke no more;

my words fell gently on their ears.

23They waited for me as for showers

and drank in my words as the spring rain.

24When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;

the light of my face was precious to them.

25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;

I dwelt as a king among his troops;

I was like one who comforts mourners.