< Ayubu 29 >
1 Ayubu akaendelea na hoja yake, akasema:
Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:
2 “Tazama jinsi ninavyoitamani miezi iliyopita, zile siku ambazo Mungu alikuwa akinilinda,
Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me?
3 wakati taa yake iliniangazia kichwani changu, na kwa mwanga wake Mungu nikapita katikati ya giza!
At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness.
4 Natamani siku zile nilizokuwa katika ustawi wangu, wakati urafiki wa Mungu wa ndani ulipoibariki nyumba yangu,
I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle.
5 wakati Mwenyezi alikuwa pamoja nami, nao watoto wangu walikuwa wamenizunguka,
At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me.
6 wakati njia yangu ilikuwa imenyweshewa siagi, nao mwamba ukanimiminia vijito vya mafuta ya zeituni.
Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me.
7 “Wakati nilipokwenda kwenye lango la mji na kuketi katika kiwanja,
When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me.
8 vijana waliniona wakakaa kando, nao wazee walioketi wakasimama;
The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing.
9 wakuu wakaacha kuzungumza na kuziba vinywa vyao kwa mikono yao;
The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth.
10 wenye vyeo wakanyamazishwa, nazo ndimi zao zikagandamana na makaakaa ya vinywa vyao.
The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat.
11 Yeyote aliyenisikia alinena mema juu yangu, nao walioniona walinisifu,
The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, gave testimony for me.
12 kwa sababu nilimwokoa maskini aliyeomba msaada, naye yatima aliyekuwa hana wa kumsaidia.
This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper.
13 Mtu aliyekuwa karibu kufa alinibariki, nami niliufanya moyo wa mjane kuimba.
The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow.
14 Niliivaa haki kama vazi langu; uadilifu ulikuwa joho langu na kilemba changu.
I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem.
15 Nilikuwa macho ya kipofu na miguu kwa kiwete.
I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame.
16 Nilikuwa baba kwa mhitaji; nilimtetea mgeni.
I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently.
17 Niliyavunja meno makali ya waovu, na kuwapokonya wahanga kwenye meno yao.
I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth.
18 “Nikafikiri, ‘Nitafia katika nyumba yangu mwenyewe, nazo siku zangu zitakuwa nyingi kama chembechembe za mchanga.
And I said, “I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days.
19 Mizizi yangu itafika mpaka kwenye maji, nao umande utakaa juu ya matawi yangu usiku kucha.
My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest.
20 Utukufu wangu utabakia kuwa mpya ndani yangu, upinde wangu daima utaendelea kuwa mpya mkononi mwangu.’
My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.”
21 “Watu walinisikiliza kwa tumaini, wakingojea ushauri wangu kwa utulivu.
Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel.
22 Baada ya mimi kuzungumza, hawakusema zaidi; maneno yangu yaliingia masikioni mwao kwa makini.
To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them.
23 Waliningojea kama manyunyu ya mvua na kuyapokea maneno yangu kama ardhi inyonyavyo mvua ya vuli.
They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains.
24 Walipokata tamaa niliwaonyesha uso wa furaha; nuru ya uso wangu ilikuwa ya thamani kwao.
If I had ever laughed at them, they would not have believed it, and the light of my face was not cast down towards the ground.
25 Niliwachagulia njia na kukaa kama mkuu wao; niliishi kama mfalme katikati ya majeshi yake; nikawa kama yeye anayewafariji waombolezaji.
If I wished to go to them, I sat down first, and, though I sat like a king surrounded by an army, yet I was a comforter to those who mourned.