Job 29
1 Job gakwara nʼihu nʼokwu ya sị:
Job went on speaking.
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,
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
3 mgbe oriọna ya na-achakwasị m nʼisi ìhè ya ka m ji jee ije nʼọchịchịrị.
His light shone above me and lit my way 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 young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
5 mgbe Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile nọnyeere m na mgbe ụmụ m nọkwa m gburugburu,
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
6 mgbe ụzọ m jupụtara na mmiri ara ehi rahụrụ arahụ, mgbe nkume na-awụpụtara m mmanụ oliv dịka mmiri na-asọ asọ.
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
7 “Mgbe m na-apụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo were ọnọdụ m nʼama.
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 moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
9 ndịisi ọchịchị obodo na-akwụsị ikwu okwu ma were aka ha kpuchie ọnụ ha;
The leaders remained silent 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 officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
11 Nʼoge ahụ, onye ọbụla nụrụ olu m na-ekwu ihe dị mma banyere m, ndị hụkwara m na-agba ama ọma maka m.
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
12 Nʼihi na anapụtara m ndị ogbenye na-eti mkpu enyemaka, napụtakwa ndị mgbei na-enweghị ndị enyemaka.
because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
13 Onye nọ nʼọnụ ọnwụ gọziri m; emekwara m ka obi nwanyị di ya nwụrụ bụọ abụ.
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
14 Ana m eyikwasị ezi omume dịka uwe, ikpe ziri ezi bụ uwe mwụda m na akwa okike nke isi m.
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
15 Abụ m anya nye onye ìsì, bụrụkwa ụkwụ nye onye ngwụrọ.
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 Abụ m nna nke onye nọ na mkpa; bụrụkwa onye gbalịrị ịhụ na ndị ọbịa natara ikpe ziri ezi.
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
17 Etijiri m ikiri eze nke ndị ajọ omume, si otu a napụta ndị ha na-achọ ịdọgbu.
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 “Echere m sị, ‘Aga m anwụ nʼụlọ nke aka m, na ụbọchị m ga-abakwa ụba dịka aja dị nʼala.
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
19 Mgbọrọgwụ m ga-eto rịda na mmiri, na igirigi ga-adakwasịkwa nʼalaka m abalị niile.
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
20 Nsọpụrụ m ga-adịgide ọhụrụ nʼime m, ụta m ga-adịgidekwa ọhụrụ nʼaka m.’
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
21 “Ụmụ mmadụ na-eji oke olileanya na-ege m ntị, ha na-ederekwa duu ịnụrụ ndụmọdụ m.
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
22 Mgbe m kwụsịrị okwu, ha anaghị ekwukwa ọzọ. Okwu m na-ada juu na ntị ha.
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
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 like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
24 Mgbe m miiri ha ọnụ ọchị, ha adịghị ekwenye ya; ìhè nke ihu m dị oke mkpa nye ha.
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
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 decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
