Job 29
1 Job gakwara nʼihu nʼokwu ya sị:
Job resumed speaking 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 I was in the past months when God cared for me,
3 mgbe oriọna ya na-achakwasị m nʼisi ìhè ya ka m ji jee ije nʼọchịchịrị.
when his lamp shined on my head, and when I walked through darkness by his light.
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,
Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days when the friendship of God was on 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 way was covered with cream, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 “Mgbe m na-apụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama obodo were ọnọdụ m nʼama.
When I went out to the city gate, when I sat in my place in the city square,
8 Ụmụ okorobịa na-ahụ m wezuga onwe ha, ndị okenye na-ahụkwa m ma guzo nʼụkwụ ha;
the young men saw me and kept their distance from me in respect, and the aged people rose and stood for me.
9 ndịisi ọchịchị obodo na-akwụsị ikwu okwu ma were aka ha kpuchie ọnụ ha;
The princes used to refrain from talking when I came; they would lay their hand on their mouths.
10 olu ndị a na-asọpụrụ na-adakwa jụụ, ire ha na-araparakwa ha nʼakpo ọnụ.
The voices of the noblemen were hushed, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouths.
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 after their ears heard me, they would then bless me; after their eyes saw me, they would then give witness to me and approve of me
12 Nʼihi na anapụtara m ndị ogbenye na-eti mkpu enyemaka, napụtakwa ndị mgbei na-enweghị ndị enyemaka.
because I rescued the one who was poor when he cried out, and the one who had no father when he 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 about to perish came on me; 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 like a robe and a turban.
15 Abụ m anya nye onye ìsì, bụrụkwa ụkwụ nye onye ngwụrọ.
I was eyes to blind people; I was feet to lame people.
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 needy people; I would examine the case even of one whom I did not 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 man; I plucked the victim out from between 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 nest; I will multiply my days like the grains of sand.
19 Mgbọrọgwụ m ga-eto rịda na mmiri, na igirigi ga-adakwasịkwa nʼalaka m abalị niile.
My roots are spread out to the waters, and dew lies all night on my branches.
20 Nsọpụrụ m ga-adịgide ọhụrụ nʼime m, ụta m ga-adịgidekwa ọhụrụ nʼaka m.’
The honor in me is always fresh, and the bow of my strength is always new in my hand.'
21 “Ụmụ mmadụ na-eji oke olileanya na-ege m ntị, ha na-ederekwa duu ịnụrụ ndụmọdụ m.
To me men listened; they waited for me; they stayed silent to hear my advice.
22 Mgbe m kwụsịrị okwu, ha anaghị ekwukwa ọzọ. Okwu m na-ada juu na ntị ha.
After my words were done, they did not speak again; my speech dropped like water 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 always waited for me as they waited for rain; they opened their mouth wide to drink in my words, as they would do for the latter 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 did not expect it; they did not 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 selected their way and sat as their chief; I lived like a king in his army, like one who comforts mourners.
