Job's summary defense
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Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:
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Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?
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When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?
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As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?
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When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?
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When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?
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When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?
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The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.
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The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.
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The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
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The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:
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Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.
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The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.
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I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.
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I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.
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I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.
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I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.
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And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.
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My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.
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My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.
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They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.
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To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.
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They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.
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If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.
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If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.