Job 29
1 And Job continued and said in his parable,
A i korero tonu a Hopa i tana pepeha, i mea,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
Aue, me i rite ki nga marama o mua, ki nga ra i tiaki ai te Atua i ahau!
3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.
I tiaho mai ai tana rama ki toku matenga, a na tana whakamarama i haere ai ahau i te pouri:
4 [As] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
Me i pera ano me ahau i nga ra o toku taiohitanga, i te mea nei kei runga to te Atua whakaaro puku i toku teneti;
5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
I te mea e noho ana ano te Kaha Rawa i ahau, a kei tetahi taha oku aku tamariki, kei tetahi taha;
6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
I horoia ai oku takahanga ki te pata, a rere mai ana nga awa hinu ki ahau i roto i te kohatu!
7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
I toku haerenga atu ki te kuwaha ki te pa, a whakapai ana i te nohoanga moku i te waharoa,
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.
Ka kite nga taitamariki i ahau, a piri ana ratou: whakatika ana nga koroheke, tu ana ki runga;
9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
Mutu pu te korero a nga tino tangata, kua kopania te ringa ki o ratou mangai;
10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
Ngaro ana te reo o nga rangatira, piri ana o ratou arero ki o ratou ngao.
11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
No te rongonga hoki o te taringa i ahau manaaki ana i ahau; te kitenga o te kanohi i ahau, whakaae mai ana ki aku mahi:
12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
No te mea naku i whakaora te rawakore i a ia e karanga ana, te pani me te tangata hoki kahore nei ona kaiawhina.
13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
I tau ki runga ki ahau te manaaki a te tangata e tata ana ki te whakangaromanga; harakoa ana i ahau te ngakau o te pouaru.
14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgement like a mantle.
I kakahuria e ahau te tika, a ko tera toku kakahu: e rite ana taku whakarite whakawa he koroka, he karauna.
15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
He kanohi ahau ki te matapo, he waewae ki te kopa.
16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
He matua ahau ki nga rawakore: a i ata rapua e ahau te tikanga o te totohe a te tangata kihai nei ahau i mohio.
17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
Wawahia ana e ahau nga kauae o te tangata kino, a takiritia mai ana e ahau tana mea pahua i roto i ona niho.
18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
Katahi ahau ka mea, Tera ahau e mate i roto i toku ohanga; ka whakanuia oku ra kia rite ki te onepu te maha:
19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
Ko toku pakiaka tautoro tonu ki nga wai, a i te po tau ana te tomairangi ki runga ki toku peka:
20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
Ko toku kororia hou tonu i roto i ahau, a hoki ake ana te kaha o taku kopere i toku ringa.
21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
I whakarongo mai nga tangata ki ahau, i tatari, whakarongo puku ana ratou i ahau e whakatakoto whakaaro ana.
22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
I muri i aku kupu kore ake ratou i korero ano; maturuturu iho ana aku kupu ki runga ki a ratou.
23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
I taria mai ahau e ratou ano ko te ua; hamama mai ana o ratou mangai ano e tatari ana ki te ua o muri.
24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
Ka kata ahau ki a ratou, kihai i whakaponohia e ratou; kihai hoki ratou i whakataka i te marama o toku mata.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.
Naku to ratou ara i whiriwhiri, a noho ana ahau hei rangatira, noho ana hoki ahau ano he kingi i roto i te ope; i rite ahau ki te kaiwhakamarie o te hunga e tangi ana.
