Bishops(i)
1 So Iob proceeded and went foorth in his parable, saying
2 O that I were as I was in the monethes by past, and in the daies when God preserued me
3 When his light shined vpon my head, when I went after the same light and shining, euen through the darknesse
4 As it stoode with me when I was young, when God prospered my house
5 When the almightie was yet with me, when my children stoode about me
6 When my wayes ranne ouer with butter, and when the stonie rockes gaue me riuers of oyle
7 When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seate, and when I prepared my seate in the streete
8 The young men saw me and hid them selues, and the aged arose, and stoode vp
9 The princes left of their talking, and layed their hand to their mouth
10 The mightie kept still their voyce, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth
11 When the eare heard me, it blessed me: & when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me
12 For I deliuered the poore when he cryed, and the fatherlesse, and hym that had none to helpe hym
13 The blessing of him that was redy to perishe came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce
14 And why? I put vpon me righteousnesse, which couered me as a garment, and equitie was my crowne
15 I was an eye to the blinde, and a foote to the lame
16 I was a father to the poore: and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently
17 I brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the spoyle out of his teeth
18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest: and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sande
19 For my roote was spread out by the waterside: and the deawe lay vpon my corne
20 Myne honour encreased more and more, & my bow was euer the stronger in my hande
21 Unto me men gaue eare, me they regarded, and with scilence they taried for my counsell
22 After my woordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them
23 They wayted for me as for the raine: and gaped vpon me, as [the grounde doeth to receaue] the latter shoure
24 When I laughed, they beleued it not, & the light of my countenaunce would they not put out
25 When I agreed vnto their way, I was the chiefe, and sate as a king with his armie about him: and when they were in heauinesse, I was their comfortour