Job 29
1 And Job continued his parable and said,
Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
“Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
3 When his lamp shone over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;
rĩrĩa tawa wake wamũrĩkaga igũrũ rĩa mũtwe wakwa, na ũndũ wa ũtheri wake ngatuĩkanagĩria nduma-inĩ!
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of God was over 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 yet with me, my young men round about me;
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers 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 gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,
“Rĩrĩa ndaathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa itũũra inene, na ngaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩakwa hau kĩaraho-inĩ-rĩ,
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;
aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
9 Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
11 When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me;
Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
12 For I delivered the afflicted that cried, 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 blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.
Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;
Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
16 I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 And I said, I shall 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 root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;
Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
24 [If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.
Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
25 I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth 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.
