² “How I long for the months gone by,^(B)
    for the days when God watched over me,^(C)
3 when his lamp shone on my head
    and by his light I walked through darkness!^(D)
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
    when God’s intimate friendship^(E) blessed my house,^(F)
5 when the Almighty was still with me
    and my children^(G) were around me,^(H)
6 when my path was drenched with cream^(I)
    and the rock^(J) poured out for me streams of olive oil.^(K)

⁷ “When I went to the gate^(L) of the city
    and took my seat in the public square,
⁸ the young men saw me and stepped aside^(M)
    and the old men rose to their feet;^(N)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking^(O)
    and covered their mouths with their hands;^(P)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,^(Q)
    and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.^(R)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
    and those who saw me commended me,^(S)
12 because I rescued the poor^(T) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless^(U) who had none to assist them.^(V)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;^(W)
    I made the widow’s^(X) heart sing.
¹⁴ I put on righteousness^(Y) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.^(Z)
15 I was eyes^(AA) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.^(AB)
16 I was a father to the needy;^(AC)
    I took up the case^(AD) of the stranger.^(AE)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims^(AF) from their teeth.^(AG)

¹⁸ “I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
    my days as numerous as the grains of sand.^(AH)
19 My roots will reach to the water,^(AI)
    and the dew will lie all night on my branches.^(AJ)
20 My glory will not fade;^(AK)
    the bow^(AL) will be ever new in my hand.’^(AM)

²¹ “People listened to me expectantly,
    waiting in silence for my counsel.^(AN)
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;^(AO)
    my words fell gently on their ears.^(AP)
23 They waited for me as for showers
    and drank in my words as the spring rain.^(AQ)
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
    the light of my face^(AR) was precious to them.^[a](AS)
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;^(AT)
    I dwelt as a king^(AU) among his troops;
    I was like one who comforts mourners.^(AV)