Job 29
1 And Job continued his discourse:
Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
2 “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
“Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
3 when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
rĩrĩa tawa wake wamũrĩkaga igũrũ rĩa mũtwe wakwa, na ũndũ wa ũtheri wake ngatuĩkanagĩria nduma-inĩ!
4 when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
Korwo ndariĩ ũrĩa ndatariĩ matukũ-inĩ marĩa ndagaacĩire biũ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kuumĩrania ngoro na Ngai kwarathimaga nyũmba yakwa,
5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
rĩrĩa gacĩra gakwa kaihũgĩtio nĩ kĩrimũ kĩa iria, naruo rwaro rwa ihiga rũgaatherũkagĩra tũrũũĩ twa maguta ma mũtamaiyũ!
7 When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
“Rĩrĩa ndaathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa itũũra inene, na ngaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩakwa hau kĩaraho-inĩ-rĩ,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
9 The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
11 For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
nĩ ũndũ nĩndahatũraga arĩa athĩĩni maakaya mateithio, o na arĩa mataarĩ na maithe maagĩte mũndũ wa kũmateithia.
13 The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
15 I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
“Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
19 My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
23 They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
24 If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
25 I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
Nĩ niĩ ndamoonagia njĩra, ngaikaraga ta ndĩ mũnene wao; ndatũũraga ta mũthamaki arĩ gatagatĩ ga ita rĩake; ningĩ ndaatariĩ ta mũndũ ũrĩa ũhooragĩria arĩa maracakaya.
