Job 29
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
“Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
3 when his lamp shone on my head, and 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 my prime, when the friendship of God was in 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, and my children were around me,
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
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 city gate, 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. The aged rose up and stood.
aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one 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 who was ready to perish came on 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 justice 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 to the lame.
Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
16 I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
“Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts 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.
