Job 29
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
Ayub melanjutkan uraiannya, katanya,
2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
"Kiranya hidupku dapat lagi seperti dahulu, waktu Allah melindungi aku.
3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
Aku selalu diberi-Nya pertolongan, diterangi-Nya waktu berjalan dalam kegelapan.
4 as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
Itulah hari-hari kejayaanku, ketika keakraban Allah menaungi rumahku.
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
Waktu itu, Yang Mahakuasa masih mendampingi aku, dan anak-anakku ada di sekelilingku.
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
Ternakku menghasilkan banyak sekali susu. Banyak minyak dihasilkan oleh pohon-pohon zaitunku, meskipun ditanam di tanah berbatu.
7 when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
Jika para tua-tua kota duduk bersama, dan kuambil tempatku di antara mereka,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
minggirlah orang-orang muda, segera setelah aku dilihat mereka. Juga orang-orang tua bangkit dengan khidmat; untuk memberi hormat.
9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
Bahkan para pembesar berhenti berkata-kata,
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
dan orang penting pun tidak berbicara.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
Siapa pun kagum jika mendengar tentang aku; siapa yang melihat aku, memuji jasaku.
12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
Sebab, kutolong orang miskin yang minta bantuan; kusokong yatim piatu yang tak punya penunjang.
13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Aku dipuji oleh orang yang sangat kesusahan, kutolong para janda sehingga mereka tentram.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Tindakanku jujur tanpa cela; kutegakkan keadilan senantiasa.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
Bagi orang buta, aku menjadi mata; bagi orang lumpuh, aku adalah kakinya.
16 I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I did not know.
Bagi orang miskin, aku menjadi ayah; bagi orang asing, aku menjadi pembela.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
Tapi kuasa orang kejam, kupatahkan, dan kurban mereka kuselamatkan.
18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
Harapanku ialah mencapai umur yang tinggi, dan mati dengan tenang di rumahku sendiri.
19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
Aku seperti pohon yang subur tumbuhnya, akarnya cukup air dan embun membasahi dahannya.
20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
Aku selalu dipuji semua orang, dan tak pernah kekuatanku berkurang.
21 “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Orang-orang diam, jika aku memberi nasihat; segala perkataanku mereka dengarkan dengan cermat.
22 After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
Sehabis aku bicara, tak ada lagi yang perlu ditambahkan; perkataan meresap seperti tetesan air hujan.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
Semua orang menyambut kata-kataku dengan gembira, seperti petani menyambut hujan di musim bunga.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
Kutersenyum kepada mereka ketika mereka putus asa; air mukaku yang bahagia menambah semangat mereka.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
Akulah yang memegang pimpinan, dan mengambil segala keputusan. Kupimpin mereka seperti raja di tengah pasukannya, dan kuhibur mereka dalam kesedihannya.
