Job 29
1 Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:
Yobu n’ayongera okwogera nti,
2 Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me?
“Nga nneegomba emyezi egyayita, ennaku Katonda mwe yali nga y’andabirira,
3 At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.
ettaala ye bwe yayakiranga omutwe gwange, n’ekitangaala kye bwe kyanjakiranga nga ntambulira mu kizikiza.
4 I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.
Mu biro we nabeerera ow’amaanyi, omukwano gwa Katonda omuyitirivu nga gukuuma amaka gange,
5 At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.
Ayinzabyonna bwe yali ng’akyali nange n’abaana bange nga bakyanneetoolodde,
6 Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.
n’ekkubo lyange nga lisiigiddwa omuzigo n’olwazi nga lunfukirira omugga ogw’amafuta.
7 When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.
“Bwe nalaganga ku mulyango gw’ekibuga ne ntuula ku ntebe mu kifo we baakubiranga enkiiko,
8 The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.
abavubuka abato bandabanga ne badda ebbali, abakadde ne basituka ne bayimirira;
9 The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.
abakungu ab’oku ntikko ne balekeraawo okwogera, ne bakwata ne ku mimwa;
10 The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat.
ab’ebitiibwa ne balekeraawo okwogera, ennimi zaabwe ne zeesibira waggulu mu kamwa.
11 The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, gave testimony for me.
Buli kutu okwampuliranga nga kwesiima, era n’abo abandabanga nga basiima
12 This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper.
kubanga nawonyanga abaavu abaakaabiranga obuyambi, n’abatalina bakitaabwe abatalina abayamba.
13 The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.
Omusajja ng’afa, y’ansabira omukisa, ne ndeetera omutima gwa nnamwandu okuyimba.
14 I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.
Ne nnyambala obutuukirivu ng’engoye zange, obwenkanya bwe bwali omunagiro gwange era ekitambala kye neesiba ku mutwe.
15 I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame.
Nnali maaso g’abamuzibe era ebigere by’abalema.
16 I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.
Nnali kitaawe w’abanaku, ne nneyama okuwolereza besimanyiiko.
17 I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.
Namenyanga amannyo g’abakozi b’ebibi, ne nziggya mu kamwa kaabwe, be baali bakutte.
18 And I said, “I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days.
“Nalowooza nti, ‘Ndifiira mu nnyumba yange nga mpezezza ennaku zange nga nnyingi ng’omusenyu ogw’oku nnyanja.
19 My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.
Omulandira gwange gulituuka mu mazzi, era n’omusulo gulibeera ku ttabi lyange okukeesa obudde.
20 My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”
Ekitiibwa kyange tekirikaddiwa mu nze, n’omutego gwange ogw’akasaale gusigale nga tegukaddiye mu mukono gwange.’
21 Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.
“Abantu beesunganga okumpuliriza, nga balindirira mu kasirise amagezi gange.
22 To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them.
Bwe namalanga okwogera, nga tewaba addayo kwogera, ebigambo byange byagwanga mpola mpola mu matu gaabwe.
23 They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains.
Bannindiriranga ng’enkuba ne banywa ebigambo byange ng’enkuba eya ttoggo.
24 If I had ever laughed at them, they would not have believed it, and the light of my face was not cast down towards the ground.
Bwe nabamwenyeranga nga tebakikkiriza; ekitangaala ky’oku maaso gange kyali kya muwendo gye bali.
25 If I wished to go to them, I sat down first, and, though I sat like a king surrounded by an army, yet I was a comforter to those who mourned.
Nabasalirangawo eky’okukola, ne ntuula nga kabaka n’amaggye ge; nnali ng’abo ababeesabeesa abakungubazi.”
