Joba 29
1 Job loh amah kah a pom te a cong tih,
Job spoke again,
2 “Kai he hlamat kah hla bangla aka khueh tih Pathen kah khohnin bangla kai aka tuem te unim?
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 Amah loh a hmaithoi te ka lu soah a thangthen tih amah kah vangnah nen ni a hmuep ah khaw ka caeh.
During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
4 Ka cavaa tue vaengah khaw ka dap ah Pathen kah baecenol la ka om.
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 Tlungthang te kai taengah om pueng tih, ka kaepvai ka ca rhoek om.
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 Ka khokan te suknaeng neh a hluk tih lungpang loh kai ham situi sokca a long sak.
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 Vangpuei vongka ah ka thoeng tih toltung ah ka ngolhmuen cikngae sak.
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Kai m'hmuh uh vaengah cadong rhoek te thuh uh. Patong rhoek khaw thoo uh tih pai uh.
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 Mangpa rhoek loh olthui te a phah uh tih a kut te a ka dongla a khueh uh.
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 Rhaengsang rhoek ol te a phah tih a lai khaw a dang dongla kap.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Hna loh a yaak vaengah kai n'uem tih mik loh a hmuh vaengah kai n'rhalrhing sak.
When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
12 Mangdaeng loh bomnah a bih tih cadah neh a taengah aka bom aka om pawt khaw ka loeih sak.
because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
13 Hlang milh kah yoethennah te kai soah pai tih nuhmai kah lungbuei khaw ka tamhoe sak.
Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
14 Duengnah te ka bai tih hnikul bangla kai n'khuk. Ka tiktamnah he ka sammuei nah ni.
I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
15 Mikdael taengah mik la, khokhaem taengah kho la ka om.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Kai tah khodaeng taengah a napa la ka om tih ming pawt kah tuituknah te ka khe pah.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Boethae kah pumcu te ka thuk pah tih a no lamkah maeh te ka voeih pah.
My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
18 Te dongah, “Ka bu ah ka pal mako,” ka ti tih laivin bangla khohnin ka puh.
“At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
19 Ka yung loh tui taengla a muk tih buemtui loh ka cangvuei dongah rhaeh.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Ka thangpomnah ka taengah thai tih ka lii ka kut dongah tinghil.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 Kai taengah a hnatun uh tih a lamtawn uh dongah ka cilsuep ham kuemsuem uh.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Ka ol hnukah talh uh voel pawt tih kai olthui he amih soah tla.
After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
23 Kai ham tah khotlan bangla a lamtawn uh tih a ka loh tlankhol bangla a ang uh.
They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
24 Amih taengah ka luem dae n'tangnah uh pawt tih ka maelhmai vangnah dongah khaw yalh uh pawh.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 Amih kah longpuei te ka coelh tih boeilu la ka ngol. Caem lakli ah manghai bangla kho ka sak tih rhahdoe cangpoem akhaw a hloep.
I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
