Job 29
1 Moreover 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 candle shined upon my head, [and when] 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 of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
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, [when] my children [were] about me;
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out 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 through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!
“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 The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their mouth.
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
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 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.
nĩ ũndũ nĩndahatũraga arĩa athĩĩni maakaya mateithio, o na arĩa mataarĩ na maithe maagĩte mũndũ wa kũmateithia.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish 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 judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.
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 poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.
“Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
19 My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 Unto me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 After my words they spake 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 the light of my countenance they cast not down.
Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth 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.
