Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
OLELO hou mai la o Ioba i kana olelonane, i mai la,
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Ina e like au me na malama mamua, I na la a ke Akua i malama mai ai ia'u!
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.
I ka wa i lilelile ai kona kukui maluna o kuu poo, A ma kona malamalama hele no au mawaena o ka pouli!
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
E like me au i na la o kuu oo ana, I ka wa i kuka pu ai me ke Akua ma kuu halelewa!
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
I ka wa o ka Mea mana me au, I ka wa e hoopuni ana kuu poe keiki ia'u!
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
I ka wa a'u i holoi ai i kuu mau wawae i ka waiu, A hookahe mai ka pohaku no'u i na kahawai aila!
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
I kuu hele ana'ku ma ka pukapa i ke kulanakauhale, Ma ke alanui hoomakaukau iho au i kuu wahi noho!
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Ike mai ka poe kanaka opio ia'u, a pee iho la; A o ka poe kahiko, ala mai lakou a ku iluna.
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Noho malie na luna i ka olelo aku, A kau lakou i ka lima maluna o ko lakou waha.
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
O ka leo o na'lii ua hunaia, Pipili ko lakou alelo me ko lakou kileo.
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,
A lohe ka pepeiao, hoomaikai no ia ia'u; A ike ka maka, hoike mai ia no'u:
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.
No ka mea, ua hoopakele au i ka poe hune e uwe ana, A me ka mea makua ole, aole ana mea kokua.
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].
O ka hoomaikai o ka mea ane make i kau mai maluna o'u: A hoohauoli no au i ka naau o ka wahinekanemake.
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].
Aahu iho no au i ka pono, a ua uhi mai ia ia'u; E like me ka aahu a me ke kaei poo, pela kuu olelohoopono.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
Ua lilo au i maka no ka makapo, I wawae hoi no ka oopa.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
He makua hoi au no ka poe ilihune; A o ka mea hakaka a'u i ike ole ai, ua huli aku au ia.
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.
Ua haki ia'u na kui o ka mea hewa, A ua kaili aku au i ka waiwai hao mai kona mau niho aku.
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].’
Alaila i iho la au, e make auanei au iloko o kuu punana, A me he one la e hoonui auanei au i na la.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Manamana ae la kuu aa ma na wai, A kau iho la ka hau, a ao ka po, maluna o kuu lala.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ua hou ko'u nani iloko o'u, A o ka'u kakaka, ua hooulu hou ia ma kuu lima.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Hoolohe lakou ia'u a kakali hoi, A noho malie lakou i kau oleloao.
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].
Mahope o ka'u olelo ana, aole lakou i olelo hou, A kulu iho ka'u olelo maluna iho o lakou.
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].
Kakali lakou ia'u e like me ka ua; A hamama loa lakou i ko lakou waha, no ke kuaua hope.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
A akaaka au ia lakou, aole lakou i manao he oiaio; A o ka malamalama o kuu maka aole lakou i hookulou ilalo ia.
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.”
Ua wae aku au i ko lakou aoao, a noho me he luna la, A noho au me he alii la maluna o ka poe kaua, E like me ka mea hooluolu i ka poe e uwe ana.
