Job 29
1 Job gakwara nʼihu nʼokwu ya sị:
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “Ọ gaara adị m nọọ mma ma a sị na m ga-adị dịka m dị nʼọnwa ole na ole gara aga, dịka ụbọchị ndị ahụ mgbe Chineke na-elekọta m,
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 mgbe oriọna ya na-achakwasị m nʼisi ìhè ya ka m ji jee ije nʼọchịchịrị.
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 Ewoo, otu ihe dịịrị nʼụbọchị ihe na-agara m nke ọma, mgbe mmekọrịta mụ na Chineke mere ka ụlọ m bụrụ ebe a gọziri agọzi,
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 mgbe Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile nọnyeere m na mgbe ụmụ m nọkwa m gburugburu,
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 mgbe ụzọ m jupụtara na mmiri ara ehi rahụrụ arahụ, mgbe nkume na-awụpụtara m mmanụ oliv dịka mmiri na-asọ asọ.
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Mgbe m na-apụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo were ọnọdụ m nʼama.
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 Ụmụ okorobịa na-ahụ m wezuga onwe ha, ndị okenye na-ahụkwa m ma guzo nʼụkwụ ha;
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 ndịisi ọchịchị obodo na-akwụsị ikwu okwu ma were aka ha kpuchie ọnụ ha;
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 olu ndị a na-asọpụrụ na-adakwa jụụ, ire ha na-araparakwa ha nʼakpo ọnụ.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Nʼoge ahụ, onye ọbụla nụrụ olu m na-ekwu ihe dị mma banyere m, ndị hụkwara m na-agba ama ọma maka m.
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 Nʼihi na anapụtara m ndị ogbenye na-eti mkpu enyemaka, napụtakwa ndị mgbei na-enweghị ndị enyemaka.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Onye nọ nʼọnụ ọnwụ gọziri m; emekwara m ka obi nwanyị di ya nwụrụ bụọ abụ.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 Ana m eyikwasị ezi omume dịka uwe, ikpe ziri ezi bụ uwe mwụda m na akwa okike nke isi m.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Abụ m anya nye onye ìsì, bụrụkwa ụkwụ nye onye ngwụrọ.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 Abụ m nna nke onye nọ na mkpa; bụrụkwa onye gbalịrị ịhụ na ndị ọbịa natara ikpe ziri ezi.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 Etijiri m ikiri eze nke ndị ajọ omume, si otu a napụta ndị ha na-achọ ịdọgbu.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 “Echere m sị, ‘Aga m anwụ nʼụlọ nke aka m, na ụbọchị m ga-abakwa ụba dịka aja dị nʼala.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Mgbọrọgwụ m ga-eto rịda na mmiri, na igirigi ga-adakwasịkwa nʼalaka m abalị niile.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Nsọpụrụ m ga-adịgide ọhụrụ nʼime m, ụta m ga-adịgidekwa ọhụrụ nʼaka m.’
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Ụmụ mmadụ na-eji oke olileanya na-ege m ntị, ha na-ederekwa duu ịnụrụ ndụmọdụ m.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 Mgbe m kwụsịrị okwu, ha anaghị ekwukwa ọzọ. Okwu m na-ada juu na ntị ha.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 Ha na-echerekwa m dịka e si echere mmiri ozuzo, na-aṅụkwa okwu m dịka ala si aṅụ mmiri ozuzo nʼọkọchị.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Mgbe m miiri ha ọnụ ọchị, ha adịghị ekwenye ya; ìhè nke ihu m dị oke mkpa nye ha.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 Ọ bụ m na-ahọpụtara ha ụzọ, na-anọdụ dịka onyeisi ha; ebiri m dịka a ga-asị na m bụ onye eze nʼetiti ndị agha ya; na dịka onye na-akasị ndị na-eru ụjụ obi.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
