Job 29
So Iob proceaded and wete forth in his communicacion, sayenge:
O yt I were as I was in the monethes by past, & in the dayes whe God preserued me:
when his light shyned vpon my heade: whe I wente after the same light & shyne eue thorow the darcknesse.
As it stode wt me, whe I was welthy & had ynough: whe God prospered my house:
when the allmightie was with me: when my housholde folkes stode aboute me:
whe my wayes ranne ouer wt butter, & when the stony rockes gaue me ryuers of oyle:
when I wente thorow the cite vnto the gate, & whe they set me a chayre in ye strete:
whe the yonge me (as soone as they sawe me) hyd the selues, & when the aged arose, & stode vp vnto me:
whe the princes left of their talkinge, & laied their hade to their mouth:
whe the mightie kepte still their voyce, and whe their tonges cleued to the rofe of their mouthes.
When all they yt herde me, called me happie: & when all they yt sawe me, wysshed me good.
For I delyuered ye poore whe he cried, & the fatherlesse yt wanted helpe.
He yt shulde haue bene lost, gaue me a good worde, & ye widdowes hert praised me.
And why? I put vpon me rightuousnes, which couered me as a garmet, & equite was my crowne.
I was an eye vnto the blynde, & a fote to the lame.
I was a father vnto the poore, & whe I knew not their cause, I sought it out diligetly.
I brake the chaftes of ye vnrightuous, & plucte the spoyle out of their teth.
Therfore, I thought verely, yt I shulde haue dyed in my nest: & yt my dayes shulde haue bene as many as the sondes of the see.
For my rote was spred out by the waters syde, & the dew laye vpo my corne.
My honor encreased more & more, and my bowe was euer the stronger in my hande.
Vnto me men gaue eare, me they regarded, & wt sylence they taried for my coucell.
Yf I had spoken, they wolde haue it none other wayes, my wordes were so well taken amonge the.
They wayted for me, as the earth doth for the rayne: & gaped vpon me, as the groude doth to receaue the latter shower.
When I laughed, they knew well it was not earnest: & this testimony of my coutenaunce pleased the nothinge at all.
When I agreed vnto their waye, I was the chefe, & sat as a kynge amonge his seruauntes: Or as one that comforteth soch as be in heuynesse.