Job 29
1 Job gakwara nʼihu nʼokwu ya sị:
Job spoke again,
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/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 mgbe oriọna ya na-achakwasị m nʼisi ìhè ya ka m ji jee ije nʼọchịchịrị.
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 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,
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 mgbe Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile nọnyeere m na mgbe ụmụ m nọkwa m gburugburu,
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all 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.
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 “Mgbe m na-apụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo were ọnọdụ m nʼama.
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Ụmụ okorobịa na-ahụ m wezuga onwe ha, ndị okenye na-ahụkwa m ma guzo nʼụkwụ ha;
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 ndịisi ọchịchị obodo na-akwụsị ikwu okwu ma were aka ha kpuchie ọnụ ha;
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 olu ndị a na-asọpụrụ na-adakwa jụụ, ire ha na-araparakwa ha nʼakpo ọnụ.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Nʼoge ahụ, onye ọbụla nụrụ olu m na-ekwu ihe dị mma banyere m, ndị hụkwara m na-agba ama ọma maka m.
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 Nʼihi na anapụtara m ndị ogbenye na-eti mkpu enyemaka, napụtakwa ndị mgbei na-enweghị ndị enyemaka.
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 Onye nọ nʼọnụ ọnwụ gọziri m; emekwara m ka obi nwanyị di ya nwụrụ bụọ abụ.
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 Ana m eyikwasị ezi omume dịka uwe, ikpe ziri ezi bụ uwe mwụda m na akwa okike nke isi m.
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 Abụ m anya nye onye ìsì, bụrụkwa ụkwụ nye onye ngwụrọ.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Abụ m nna nke onye nọ na mkpa; bụrụkwa onye gbalịrị ịhụ na ndị ọbịa natara ikpe ziri ezi.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Etijiri m ikiri eze nke ndị ajọ omume, si otu a napụta ndị ha na-achọ ịdọgbu.
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 “Echere m sị, ‘Aga m anwụ nʼụlọ nke aka m, na ụbọchị m ga-abakwa ụba dịka aja dị nʼala.
“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 Mgbọrọgwụ m ga-eto rịda na mmiri, na igirigi ga-adakwasịkwa nʼalaka m abalị niile.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Nsọpụrụ m ga-adịgide ọhụrụ nʼime m, ụta m ga-adịgidekwa ọhụrụ nʼaka m.’
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 “Ụmụ mmadụ na-eji oke olileanya na-ege m ntị, ha na-ederekwa duu ịnụrụ ndụmọdụ m.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Mgbe m kwụsịrị okwu, ha anaghị ekwukwa ọzọ. Okwu m na-ada juu na ntị ha.
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 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 [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 Mgbe m miiri ha ọnụ ọchị, ha adịghị ekwenye ya; ìhè nke ihu m dị oke mkpa nye ha.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of 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 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.”
