Ayub 29

1 Ayub nomedo wuoyo kawacho niya,

Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 “Yaye, mad ngʼato dwoka e ndalona machon kendo kinde mane Nyasaye orita maber,

“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

3 ka en koda kuonde duto kendo ka lerne ne menyona kuonde motimo mudho mane awuothe!

when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 Ee, mano kaka agombo ndalogo mane pod ategno, kinde mane Nyasaye gwedho oda nikech ne en osiepna,

as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

5 ma en ndalono ma Jehova Nyasaye Maratego ne pod ni koda kendo nyithinda noketa diere,

when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,

6 ne en ndalo ma yorega ne dhi maber kendo yiende mag zeituni ne nyak maber.

when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

7 “Kindeno kane adonjo gie ranga dala mi abet e koma ei paw bura,

when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.

8 to yawuowi ne weyona yo ka onena to jodongo to ne oana malo.

The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

9 Jotend ogendini ne weyo wuoyo, kendo negilingʼ thi ka giumo dhogi.

The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

10 Ruodhi kane onena to ne wuoyo gi dwol mapiny kendo onge ngʼama ne nyalo winjo gima negiwacho.

The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 Ngʼato angʼata mane owinja ne loso maber kuoma, kendo joma nonena ne pwoya,

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,

12 nikech ne akonyo joma odhier mane ywak ka dwaro kony, kod joma onge wuonegi mane onge gi joma dikonygi.

because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,

13 Ngʼama ne chiegni tho nogwedha; kendo namiyo chuny dhako ma chwore otho duogo mi ower gi mor.

the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 Arwako tim makare kod adiera ka lepa.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 Ne abedo wangʼ muofni kendo tiende pudhe.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

16 Ne abedo wuon jochan; kendo ne akawo chandruok joma welo.

I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.

17 Ne aketho teko mar joma thiro ji mi agologi e lwet joma dwaro hinyogi.

I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 “Ne aparo e chunya ni, ‘Tho biro kawa mos ka adak maber e dalana, kendo ka hika mae pinyni oniangʼ,

Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.

19 Achalo gi yath, madongo e bath aora madongo ka ngʼich nikech tiendene ochwo pi kendo thoo biro bedo e bedena gotieno.

My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

20 Huma mara biro siko kalandore kendo tekra nosiki!’

My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 “Ji ne chikona itgi ka geno konyruok mathoth, negirito rieko mawuok e dhoga ka gilingʼ mos.

“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

22 Onge ngʼama ne loso bangʼa; wechena ne lwar e itgi mos ka ngʼidho.

After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.

23 Ne girita ka joma rito koth ndalo oro, kendo negimor gi wechena mana ka joma rito kodh chwiri.

They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

24 Kane abwonjo kodgi to ne amako dhogi; kendo ler mane rieny koa e lela wangʼa, ne morogi ahinya.

I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.

25 An ema ne anyisogi yo monego gilu kendo nabedo kaka ruodhgi; ne achalo ruoth e dier jokedo mage; bende ne achalo ngʼat mahoyo joma ywak.”

I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.