Job

¹ Job now resumed his response:

² when God took such very good care of me.

³ and I walked through the dark by its light.

⁴ when God's friendship graced my home,

⁵ and my children were all around me,

⁶ and nothing seemed too difficult.

⁷ and sat with my friends in the public square,

⁸ I was honored by everyone in town.

⁹ When I spoke, everyone listened;

¹⁰ they hung on my every word.

¹¹ my reputation went ahead of me.

¹² and standing up for those who were down on their luck.

¹³ and the bereaved were cheered by my visits.

¹⁴ I was known for being fair to everyone I met.

¹⁵ and feet to the lame,

¹⁶ and champion of abused aliens.

¹⁷ and made them give back what they'd stolen.

¹⁸ grateful for a long and full life,

¹⁹ a life limber and dew-fresh,

²⁰ and my body robust until the day I die.'

²¹ hung expectantly on my every word.

²² taking it all in.

²³ drinking it all in.

²⁴ their faces lit up, their troubles took wing!

²⁵ and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed.