Job 29
1 And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
2 Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
“Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
3 When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in 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 abundance, when the confidence of God was upon 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, when my servants stood round about me;
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets 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 close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
“Rĩrĩa ndaathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa itũũra inene, na ngaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩakwa hau kĩaraho-inĩ-rĩ,
8 Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
9 Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
11 For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, 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 the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
14 I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
15 Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
16 A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
“Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
19 My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
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 wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
24 I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
25 I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his 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.
