< Job 29 >
1 Pẹ̀lúpẹ̀lú, Jobu sì tún tẹ̀síwájú nínú ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀, ó sì wí pé,
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “Háà! ìbá ṣe pé èmi wà bí ìgbà oṣù tí ó kọjá, bí ọjọ́ tí Ọlọ́run pa mí mọ́,
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 nígbà tí fìtílà rẹ tàn sí mi ní orí, àti nípa ìmọ́lẹ̀ rẹ̀ èmi rìn nínú òkùnkùn já.
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 Bí mo ti rí nígbà ọ̀dọ́ mi, nígbà tí ọ̀rẹ́ Ọlọ́run tímọ́tímọ́ bùkún ilé mi,
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 nígbà tí Olódùmarè wà pẹ̀lú mi, nígbà tí àwọn ọmọ mi wà yí mi ká;
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 nígbà tí èmi fi òrí-àmọ́ n wẹ ìṣísẹ̀ mi, àti tí àpáta ń tú ìṣàn òróró jáde fún mi wá.
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Nígbà tí mo jáde la àárín ìlú lọ sí ẹnu ibodè, nígbà tí mo tẹ́ ìtẹ́ mi ní ìgboro,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 nígbà náà ni àwọn ọmọkùnrin rí mi, wọ́n sì sá pamọ́, àwọn àgbà dìde dúró ní ẹsẹ̀ wọn,
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 àwọn ọmọ-aládé dákẹ́ ọ̀rọ̀ sísọ, wọn a sì fi ọwọ́ wọn lé ẹnu.
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 Àwọn ọlọ́lá dákẹ́, ahọ́n wọn sì lẹ̀ mọ́ èrìgì ẹnu wọn.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Nígbà tí etí gbọ́, ó sì súre fún mi, àti nígbà tí ojú sì rí mi, ó jẹ́rìí mi,
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 nítorí mo gbà tálákà tí n fẹ́ ìrànlọ́wọ́, àti aláìní baba tí kò sí olùrànlọ́wọ́ fún un.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Ẹni tí ó ń kìlọ̀ súre fún mi, èmi sì mú àyà opó kọrin fún ayọ̀.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 Èmi sì mú òdodo wọ̀ bí aṣọ, ẹ̀tọ́ mi dàbí aṣọ ìgúnwà àti adé ọba.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Mo ṣe ojú fún afọ́jú mo sì ṣe ẹsẹ̀ fún amúnkùn ún.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 Mo ṣe baba fún tálákà; mo ṣe ìwádìí ọ̀ràn àjèjì tí èmi kò mọ̀ rí.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 Mo sì ká eyín ẹ̀rẹ̀kẹ́ ènìyàn búburú, mo sì já ohun ọdẹ náà kúrò ní eyín rẹ̀.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 “Nígbà náà ni mo rò pé, ‘Èmi yóò kú nínú ilé mi, èmi yóò sì mú ọjọ́ mi pọ̀ sí i bí iyanrìn.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Gbòǹgbò mi yóò ta kan omi, ìrì yóò sì sẹ̀ ní gbogbo òru sí ara ẹ̀ka mi.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Ògo mi yóò wà ní ọ̀tún ní ọ̀dọ̀ mi, ọrun mi sì padà di tuntun ní ọwọ́ mi.’
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 “Èmi ni ènìyàn ń dẹtí sílẹ̀ sí, wọn a sì dúró, wọn a sì dákẹ́ rọ́rọ́ ní ìmọ̀ràn mi.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 Lẹ́yìn ọ̀rọ̀ mi, wọn kò tún sọ̀rọ̀ mọ́; ọ̀rọ̀ mi wọ̀ wọ́n ní etí ṣinṣin.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 Wọn a sì dúró dè mí bí ẹni wí pé wọ́n dúró fún ọ̀wọ́ òjò; wọn a sì mu nínú ọ̀rọ̀ mi bí ẹní mu nínú òjò àrọ̀kúrò.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Èmi sì rẹ́rìn-ín sí wọn nígbà tí wọn kò bá gbà á gbọ́; ìmọ́lẹ̀ ojú mi jẹ́ iyebíye sí wọn.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 Mo la ọ̀nà sílẹ̀ fún wọn, mo sì jókòó bí olóyè wọn. Mo jókòó bí ọba ní àárín ológun rẹ, mo sì rí bí ẹni tí ń tu ẹni tí ń ṣọ̀fọ̀ nínú.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.