LITV(i)
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 when His lamp shone on my head, when I walked through darkness by His light;
4 as I was in the days of my harvest, when the intimacy with God was on my tent;
5 when the Almighty was yet with me and my children were around me;
6 when I washed my steps with curds, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me;
7 when I went out to the gate by the city; when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves; the aged rose up, stood up;
9 the rulers held back with words, and they laid a hand on their mouth;
10 the leaders' voice was hidden; yea, their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.
11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw, and witnessed for me.
12 For I delivered the poor who cried for help and the orphan who had no helper to him.
13 The blessing of the perishing came on me; and I made the widow's heart to sing.
14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me; my judgment was like a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet for the lame.
16 I was father to the poor, and the cause which I did not know, I searched out.
17 I broke the fangs of the perverse, and cast the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply days like the sand.
19 My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh with me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 They listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words, they did not go on, and my speech dropped on them.
23 And they waited for me like the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 I laughed on those when they did not believe, and they did not make the light of my face to fall.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief; and I lived like a king among the troops; as the mourners, and he who comforts.