Ayubu 29
1 Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 rĩrĩa tawa wake wamũrĩkaga igũrũ rĩa mũtwe wakwa, na ũndũ wa ũtheri wake ngatuĩkanagĩria nduma-inĩ!
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 Korwo ndariĩ ũrĩa ndatariĩ matukũ-inĩ marĩa ndagaacĩire biũ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kuumĩrania ngoro na Ngai kwarathimaga nyũmba yakwa,
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 rĩrĩa gacĩra gakwa kaihũgĩtio nĩ kĩrimũ kĩa iria, naruo rwaro rwa ihiga rũgaatherũkagĩra tũrũũĩ twa maguta ma mũtamaiyũ!
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Rĩrĩa ndaathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa itũũra inene, na ngaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩakwa hau kĩaraho-inĩ-rĩ,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 nĩ ũndũ nĩndahatũraga arĩa athĩĩni maakaya mateithio, o na arĩa mataarĩ na maithe maagĩte mũndũ wa kũmateithia.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 “Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 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.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
