Job 29
1 Job gakwara nʼihu nʼokwu ya sị:
Job again took up his parable, and said,
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,
“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in 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 on my head, and by his light I walked through 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,
as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
5 mgbe Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile nọnyeere m na mgbe ụmụ m nọkwa m gburugburu,
when the Almighty was yet 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 washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 “Mgbe m na-apụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo were ọnọdụ m nʼama.
when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
8 Ụmụ okorobịa na-ahụ m wezuga onwe ha, ndị okenye na-ahụkwa m ma guzo nʼụkwụ ha;
The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
9 ndịisi ọchịchị obodo na-akwụsị ikwu okwu ma were aka ha kpuchie ọnụ ha;
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 olu ndị a na-asọpụrụ na-adakwa jụụ, ire ha na-araparakwa ha nʼakpo ọnụ.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
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 when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 Nʼihi na anapụtara m ndị ogbenye na-eti mkpu enyemaka, napụtakwa ndị mgbei na-enweghị ndị enyemaka.
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 Onye nọ nʼọnụ ọnwụ gọziri m; emekwara m ka obi nwanyị di ya nwụrụ bụọ abụ.
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to 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. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
15 Abụ m anya nye onye ìsì, bụrụkwa ụkwụ nye onye ngwụrọ.
I was eyes to the blind, and 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. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
17 Etijiri m ikiri eze nke ndị ajọ omume, si otu a napụta ndị ha na-achọ ịdọgbu.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 “Echere m sị, ‘Aga m anwụ nʼụlọ nke aka m, na ụbọchị m ga-abakwa ụba dịka aja dị nʼala.
Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 Mgbọrọgwụ m ga-eto rịda na mmiri, na igirigi ga-adakwasịkwa nʼalaka m abalị niile.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 Nsọpụrụ m ga-adịgide ọhụrụ nʼime m, ụta m ga-adịgidekwa ọhụrụ nʼaka m.’
My glory is fresh in me. 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, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 Mgbe m kwụsịrị okwu, ha anaghị ekwukwa ọzọ. Okwu m na-ada juu na ntị ha.
After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
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 the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 Mgbe m miiri ha ọnụ ọchị, ha adịghị ekwenye ya; ìhè nke ihu m dị oke mkpa nye ha.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
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 out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
