Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
Job loh amah kah a pom te a cong tih,
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
“Kai he hlamat kah hla bangla aka khueh tih Pathen kah khohnin bangla kai aka tuem te unim?
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
Amah loh a hmaithoi te ka lu soah a thangthen tih amah kah vangnah nen ni a hmuep ah khaw ka caeh.
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
Ka cavaa tue vaengah khaw ka dap ah Pathen kah baecenol la ka om.
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
Tlungthang te kai taengah om pueng tih, ka kaepvai ka ca rhoek om.
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
Ka khokan te suknaeng neh a hluk tih lungpang loh kai ham situi sokca a long sak.
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Vangpuei vongka ah ka thoeng tih toltung ah ka ngolhmuen cikngae sak.
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Kai m'hmuh uh vaengah cadong rhoek te thuh uh. Patong rhoek khaw thoo uh tih pai uh.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Mangpa rhoek loh olthui te a phah uh tih a kut te a ka dongla a khueh uh.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
Rhaengsang rhoek ol te a phah tih a lai khaw a dang dongla kap.
11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
Hna loh a yaak vaengah kai n'uem tih mik loh a hmuh vaengah kai n'rhalrhing sak.
12 because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
Mangdaeng loh bomnah a bih tih cadah neh a taengah aka bom aka om pawt khaw ka loeih sak.
13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
Hlang milh kah yoethennah te kai soah pai tih nuhmai kah lungbuei khaw ka tamhoe sak.
14 I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
Duengnah te ka bai tih hnikul bangla kai n'khuk. Ka tiktamnah he ka sammuei nah ni.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
Mikdael taengah mik la, khokhaem taengah kho la ka om.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
Kai tah khodaeng taengah a napa la ka om tih ming pawt kah tuituknah te ka khe pah.
17 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
Boethae kah pumcu te ka thuk pah tih a no lamkah maeh te ka voeih pah.
18 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
Te dongah, “Ka bu ah ka pal mako,” ka ti tih laivin bangla khohnin ka puh.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Ka yung loh tui taengla a muk tih buemtui loh ka cangvuei dongah rhaeh.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ka thangpomnah ka taengah thai tih ka lii ka kut dongah tinghil.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Kai taengah a hnatun uh tih a lamtawn uh dongah ka cilsuep ham kuemsuem uh.
22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
Ka ol hnukah talh uh voel pawt tih kai olthui he amih soah tla.
23 They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
Kai ham tah khotlan bangla a lamtawn uh tih a ka loh tlankhol bangla a ang uh.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Amih taengah ka luem dae n'tangnah uh pawt tih ka maelhmai vangnah dongah khaw yalh uh pawh.
25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
Amih kah longpuei te ka coelh tih boeilu la ka ngol. Caem lakli ah manghai bangla kho ka sak tih rhahdoe cangpoem akhaw a hloep.
