Job 29
1 At muling ipinagbadya ni Job ang kaniyang talinghaga, at nagsabi,
Job spoke again,
2 Oh ako nawa'y napasa mga buwan noong dakong una, gaya noong mga kaarawan ng binabantayan ako ng Dios;
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 Nang ang kaniyang ilawan ay sumisilang sa aking ulo at sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang liwanag ay lumalakad ako sa kadiliman;
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 Gaya noong ako'y nasa kabutihan ng aking mga kaarawan, noong ang pagkasi ng Dios ay nasa aking tolda;
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 Noong ang Makapangyarihan sa lahat ay sumasaakin pa, at ang aking mga anak ay nangasa palibot ko;
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 Noong ang aking mga hakbang ay naliligo sa gatas, at ang bato ay nagbubuhos para sa akin ng mga ilog ng langis!
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 Noong ako'y lumalabas sa pintuang-bayan hanggang sa bayan, noong aking inihahanda ang aking upuan sa lansangan,
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Nakikita ako ng mga binata, at nagsisipagkubli, at ang mga matanda ay nagsisitindig at nagsisitayo:
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 Ang mga pangulo ay nagpipigil ng pangungusap, at inilalagay ang kanilang kamay sa kanilang bibig;
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 Ang tinig ng mga mahal na tao ay tumatahimik, at ang kanilang dila ay dumidikit sa ngalangala ng kanilang bibig.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 Sapagka't pagka naririnig ako ng pakinig, ay pinagpapala nga ako; at pagka nakikita ako ng mata, ay sumasaksi sa akin:
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 Sapagka't aking iniligtas ang dukha na dumadaing, ang ulila rin naman na walang tumutulong sa kaniya.
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 Ang basbas ng malapit nang mamamatay ay sumaakin: at aking pinaawit sa kagalakan ang puso ng babaing bao.
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 Ako'y nagbibihis ng katuwiran, at sinusuutan niya ako: ang aking kaganapan ay parang isang balabal at isang diadema.
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 Ako'y naging mga mata sa bulag, at naging mga paa ako sa pilay.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Ako'y naging ama sa mapagkailangan; at ang usap niyaong hindi ko nakikilala ay aking sinisiyasat.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 At aking binali ang mga pangil ng liko, at inagaw ko ang huli sa kaniyang mga ngipin.
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 Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ko, mamamatay ako sa aking pugad, at aking pararamihin ang aking mga kaarawan na gaya ng buhangin:
“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 Ang aking ugat ay nakalat sa tubig, at ang hamog ay lumalapag buong gabi sa aking sanga:
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 Ang aking kaluwalhatian ay sariwa sa akin, at ang aking busog ay nababago sa aking kamay.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 Sa akin ay nangakikinig ang mga tao, at nangaghihintay, at nagsisitahimik sa aking payo.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Pagkatapos ng aking mga salita ay hindi na sila nagsasalita pa uli; at ang aking pananalita ay tumutulo sa kanila.
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 At kanilang hinihintay ako, na gaya ng paghihintay sa ulan, at kanilang ibinubuka ang kanilang bibig na maluwang na gaya sa huling ulan.
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 Ako'y ngumingiti sa kanila pagka sila'y hindi nanganiniwala: at ang liwanag ng aking mukha ay hindi nila hinahamak.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 Ako'y namimili sa kanilang daan, at nauupong gaya ng puno, at tumatahang gaya ng hari sa hukbo, gaya ng nangaaliw sa nananangis.
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.”
