Job 29

1 And Job again took up the word and said,

Ka naʻe fai ai pe ʻe Siope ʻene lea mamafa, ʻo ne pehē,

2 If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!

“Taumaiā kuo u tatau eni mo e ngaahi māhina kuo hili ange, ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi ʻaho naʻe maluʻi ai au ʻe he ʻOtua;

3 When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

‌ʻI he kei ulo ʻa ʻene maama ki hoku ʻulu, pea u ʻalu mo ʻene maama ʻi he fakapoʻuli;

4 As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

‌ʻO hangē ko ʻeku nofo ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo ʻeku monūʻia, ʻi he fakataha ʻae kakai ʻoe ʻOtua ʻi hoku fale;

5 While the Ruler of all was still with me, and my children were round me;

‌ʻI he kei ʻiate au ʻae Māfimafi, pea ʻiate au mo ʻeku fānau;

6 When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

‌ʻI he tafe ʻae pota ʻi hoku hala, pea lilingi mai ʻe he maka ʻae lolo lahi ʻaupito;

7 When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,

‌ʻI heʻeku ʻalu atu ʻi he loto kolo ki he matapā, pea teuʻi hoku nofoʻanga ʻi he hala lahi!

8 The young men saw me, and went away, and the old men got up from their seats;

Naʻe sio kiate au ʻae kau talavou, ʻonau toitoi: pea tutuʻu ki ʻolunga ʻae kau mātuʻa.

9 The rulers kept quiet, and put their hands on their mouths;

Naʻe taʻofi ʻe he ngaahi ʻeiki ʻenau alea, ʻo ʻai honau nima ki honau ngutu.

10 The chiefs kept back their words, and their tongues were joined to the roofs of their mouths.

Naʻe longo pe ʻae houʻeiki, pea piki honau ʻelelo ki honau ʻoʻaoʻingutu.

11 For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

‌ʻI he ongoʻi au ʻe he telinga, ne ne tāpuakiʻi au; pea ʻi he mamata ʻae mata kiate au, naʻa ne fakamoʻoniʻi au:

12 For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.

He naʻaku fakahaofia ʻae masiva naʻe tangi, ʻae tamai mate, mo ia naʻe ʻikai hano tokoni.

13 The blessing of him who was near to destruction came on me, and I put a song of joy into the widow's heart.

Ko e tāpuaki ʻo ia naʻe meimei mate ne hoko kiate au: pea naʻaku fakafiefiaʻi ke hiva ʻae loto ʻoe fefine kuo mate hono husepāniti.

14 I put on righteousness as my clothing, and was full of it; right decisions were to me a robe and a head-dress.

Ne u ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni, pea ne ʻufiʻufi ʻaki au: naʻe tatau ʻeku fakamaau mo e pulupulu mo e pale.

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to him who had no power of walking.

Ko e mata au ki he kui, mo e vaʻe ki he ketu.

16 I was a father to the poor, searching out the cause of him who was strange to me.

Ko e tamai au ki he masiva: pea ko e meʻa naʻe ʻikai te u ʻiloʻi ne u kumi lahi ki ai.

17 By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.

Naʻaku fesiʻi ʻae kouʻahe ʻoe fai kovi, ʻo toʻo ʻae meʻa faʻao mei hono nifo.

18 Then I said, I will come to my end with my children round me, my days will be as the sand in number;

Pea u toki pehē, ‘Te u mate ʻi hoku pununga, pea te u fakalahi hoku ngaahi ʻaho ke hangē ko e ʻoneʻone.

19 My root will be open to the waters, and the night mist will be on my branches,

Naʻe mafola hoku aka ʻi he ngaahi veʻe vai, pea toka ʻae hahau ki hoku vaʻa ʻi he pō kotoa.

20 My glory will be ever new, and my bow will be readily bent in my hand.

Ko hoku ongoongolelei naʻe maʻuiʻui pe, pea naʻe fakafoʻou ʻeku kaufana ʻi hoku nima.’

21 Men gave ear to me, waiting and keeping quiet for my suggestions.

“Naʻe fakafanongo ʻae kakai kiate au, ʻo tatali, pea fakalongo pē ʻi heʻeku akonaki.

22 After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

Hili ʻeku lea naʻe ʻikai te nau tali; pea naʻe tō ʻeku lea kiate kinautolu.

23 They were waiting for me as for the rain, opening their mouths wide as for the spring rains.

Pea naʻa nau tatali kiate au ʻo hangē ki he ʻuha: pea nau fakamanga lahi honau ngutu ʻo hangē ki he ʻuha mui.

24 I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.

Ne u kata kiate kinautolu, pea ʻikai te nau faʻa tui; pea ko e maama ʻo hoku mata naʻe ʻikai ke nau lī ki lalo.

25 I took my place as a chief, guiding them on their way, and I was as a king among his army. ...

Naʻaku fili honau hala, ʻo nofo ko e ʻeiki, ne u nofo ʻo hangē ha tuʻi ʻi he kautau, pea hangē ha taha ʻoku ne fakafiemālieʻi ʻae kakai mamahi.