Job 29
1 And Job again took up his parable, and said,
Ningĩ Ayubu nĩathiire na mbere kwaria, akiuga atĩrĩ:
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;
“Naarĩ korwo no haane ũrĩa ndaatariĩ mĩeri ĩrĩa ya tene, matukũ-inĩ marĩa Ngai aamenyagĩrĩra,
3 When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;
rĩrĩa tawa wake wamũrĩkaga igũrũ rĩa mũtwe wakwa, na ũndũ wa ũtheri wake ngatuĩkanagĩria nduma-inĩ!
4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;
Korwo ndariĩ ũrĩa ndatariĩ matukũ-inĩ marĩa ndagaacĩire biũ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kuumĩrania ngoro na Ngai kwarathimaga nyũmba yakwa,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;
rĩrĩa Mwene-Hinya-Wothe aarĩ hamwe na niĩ, nacio ciana ciakwa ikandigiicĩria,
6 When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!
rĩrĩa gacĩra gakwa kaihũgĩtio nĩ kĩrimũ kĩa iria, naruo rwaro rwa ihiga rũgaatherũkagĩra tũrũũĩ twa maguta ma mũtamaiyũ!
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,
“Rĩrĩa ndaathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa itũũra inene, na ngaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩakwa hau kĩaraho-inĩ-rĩ,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;
aanake maanyonaga makeehera, nao athuuri makarũgama,
9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
andũ arĩa anene maatigaga kwaria, makahumbĩra tũnua twao na moko;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
mĩgambo ya andũ arĩa marĩ igweta ĩgakirio, nacio nĩmĩ ciao ikanyiitana na karakara.
11 For when the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; And when the eye saw [me], it gave witness unto me:
Ũrĩa wothe wanjiguaga ngĩaria aaragia wega igũrũ rĩakwa, nao arĩa maanyonaga makangaathĩrĩria,
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him.
nĩ ũndũ nĩndahatũraga arĩa athĩĩni maakaya mateithio, o na arĩa mataarĩ na maithe maagĩte mũndũ wa kũmateithia.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Mũndũ agĩkua nĩandaathimaga; nĩndatũmaga ngoro ya mũtumia wa ndigwa ĩine.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Ndehumbaga ũthingu ta nguo; ciira wa kĩhooto nĩguo warĩ nguo yakwa ya igũrũ, o na kĩremba gĩakwa.
15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame.
Nĩ niĩ ndaarĩ maitho ma arĩa atumumu, na magũrũ ma arĩa ithua.
16 I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
Ndaarĩ ithe wa arĩa abatari; nĩndaciiragĩrĩra o na mũndũ itooĩ.
17 And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
Ningĩ nĩndoinangaga magego ma arĩa aaganu, na ngahuria arĩa maarĩ magego-inĩ mao.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand:
“Ndeciiragia atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ngaakuĩra gwakwa nyũmba, matukũ makwa marĩ maingĩ ta mũthanga.
19 My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch:
Mĩri yakwa ĩgataamba ĩkinye maaĩ-inĩ, narĩo ireera rĩkoragwo honge-inĩ ciakwa ũtukũ wothe.
20 My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
Riiri wakwa ũgũtũũra werũhagio thĩinĩ wakwa, naguo ũta wakwa ũtũũre ũrĩ mwerũ guoko-inĩ gwakwa.’
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
“Andũ maathikagĩrĩria marĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro, meetagĩrĩra kĩrĩra gĩakwa makirĩte.
22 After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.
Ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, matiacookaga kwaria; ciugo ciakwa ciatoonyaga matũ mao kahora ihooreire.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain.
Maanjetagĩrĩra ta andũ metereire mbura, na makanyua ciugo ciakwa o ta mbura ĩrĩa ya kũrigĩrĩria.
24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down.
Ndaamathekathekagia moorĩtwo nĩ hinya makaaga gwĩtĩkia; ũtheri wa ũthiũ wakwa warĩ wa bata mũno kũrĩ o.
25 I chose out their way, and sat [as] chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.
Nĩ niĩ ndamoonagia njĩra, ngaikaraga ta ndĩ mũnene wao; ndatũũraga ta mũthamaki arĩ gatagatĩ ga ita rĩake; ningĩ ndaatariĩ ta mũndũ ũrĩa ũhooragĩria arĩa maracakaya.
