Ayubu 29
1 Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
Job spoke again,
2 “Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 rĩrĩa tawa wake wamũrĩkaga igũrũ rĩa mũtwe wakwa, na ũndũ wa ũtheri wake ngatuĩkanagĩria nduma-inĩ!
During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
4 Korwo ndariĩ ũrĩa ndatariĩ matukũ-inĩ marĩa ndagaacĩire biũ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kuumĩrania ngoro na Ngai kwarathimaga nyũmba yakwa,
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 rĩrĩa gacĩra gakwa kaihũgĩtio nĩ kĩrimũ kĩa iria, naruo rwaro rwa ihiga rũgaatherũkagĩra tũrũũĩ twa maguta ma mũtamaiyũ!
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 “Rĩrĩa ndaathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa itũũra inene, na ngaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩakwa hau kĩaraho-inĩ-rĩ,
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
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,
12 nĩ ũndũ nĩndahatũraga arĩa athĩĩni maakaya mateithio, o na arĩa mataarĩ na maithe maagĩte mũndũ wa kũmateithia.
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.
13 Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
14 Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
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].
15 Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
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.
18 “Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
“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].’
19 Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 “Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
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].
23 Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
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].
24 Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
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 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.”
