Job 29
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
A i korero tonu a Hopa i tana pepeha, i mea,
2 “Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
Aue, me i rite ki nga marama o mua, ki nga ra i tiaki ai te Atua i ahau!
3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
I tiaho mai ai tana rama ki toku matenga, a na tana whakamarama i haere ai ahau i te pouri:
4 as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
Me i pera ano me ahau i nga ra o toku taiohitanga, i te mea nei kei runga to te Atua whakaaro puku i toku teneti;
5 when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
I te mea e noho ana ano te Kaha Rawa i ahau, a kei tetahi taha oku aku tamariki, kei tetahi taha;
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
I horoia ai oku takahanga ki te pata, a rere mai ana nga awa hinu ki ahau i roto i te kohatu!
7 when I went out to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
I toku haerenga atu ki te kuwaha ki te pa, a whakapai ana i te nohoanga moku i te waharoa,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
Ka kite nga taitamariki i ahau, a piri ana ratou: whakatika ana nga koroheke, tu ana ki runga;
9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
Mutu pu te korero a nga tino tangata, kua kopania te ringa ki o ratou mangai;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
Ngaro ana te reo o nga rangatira, piri ana o ratou arero ki o ratou ngao.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
No te rongonga hoki o te taringa i ahau manaaki ana i ahau; te kitenga o te kanohi i ahau, whakaae mai ana ki aku mahi:
12 because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
No te mea naku i whakaora te rawakore i a ia e karanga ana, te pani me te tangata hoki kahore nei ona kaiawhina.
13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
I tau ki runga ki ahau te manaaki a te tangata e tata ana ki te whakangaromanga; harakoa ana i ahau te ngakau o te pouaru.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
I kakahuria e ahau te tika, a ko tera toku kakahu: e rite ana taku whakarite whakawa he koroka, he karauna.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
He kanohi ahau ki te matapo, he waewae ki te kopa.
16 I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I did not know.
He matua ahau ki nga rawakore: a i ata rapua e ahau te tikanga o te totohe a te tangata kihai nei ahau i mohio.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
Wawahia ana e ahau nga kauae o te tangata kino, a takiritia mai ana e ahau tana mea pahua i roto i ona niho.
18 Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
Katahi ahau ka mea, Tera ahau e mate i roto i toku ohanga; ka whakanuia oku ra kia rite ki te onepu te maha:
19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
Ko toku pakiaka tautoro tonu ki nga wai, a i te po tau ana te tomairangi ki runga ki toku peka:
20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
Ko toku kororia hou tonu i roto i ahau, a hoki ake ana te kaha o taku kopere i toku ringa.
21 “Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
I whakarongo mai nga tangata ki ahau, i tatari, whakarongo puku ana ratou i ahau e whakatakoto whakaaro ana.
22 After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
I muri i aku kupu kore ake ratou i korero ano; maturuturu iho ana aku kupu ki runga ki a ratou.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
I taria mai ahau e ratou ano ko te ua; hamama mai ana o ratou mangai ano e tatari ana ki te ua o muri.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
Ka kata ahau ki a ratou, kihai i whakaponohia e ratou; kihai hoki ratou i whakataka i te marama o toku mata.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
Naku to ratou ara i whiriwhiri, a noho ana ahau hei rangatira, noho ana hoki ahau ano he kingi i roto i te ope; i rite ahau ki te kaiwhakamarie o te hunga e tangi ana.
