Job 29
1 And Job continued and said in his parable,
Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!
“Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
3 As when his lamp shone over my head; 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] when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.
Korwo ndariĩ ũrĩa ndatariĩ matukũ-inĩ marĩa ndagaacĩire biũ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kuumĩrania ngoro na Ngai kwarathimaga nyũmba yakwa,
5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.
rĩrĩa gacĩra gakwa kaihũgĩtio nĩ kĩrimũ kĩa iria, naruo rwaro rwa ihiga rũgaatherũkagĩra tũrũũĩ twa maguta ma mũtamaiyũ!
7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.
“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 all the old men stood up.
aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 And they that heard [me] blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.
mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.
Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.
nĩ ũndũ nĩndahatũraga arĩa athĩĩni maakaya mateithio, o na arĩa mataarĩ na maithe maagĩte mũndũ wa kũmateithia.
13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yes, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.
Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.
Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.
Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 And I broke the jaw teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
“Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
19 [My] root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 [Men] heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.
Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they [waited for] my speech.
Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe [it]; and the light of my face has not failed.
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 lived as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting 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.
