Job 29

1 So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,

Ka naʻe fai ai pe ʻe Siope ʻene lea mamafa, ʻo ne pehē,

2 Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!

“Taumaiā kuo u tatau eni mo e ngaahi māhina kuo hili ange, ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi ʻaho naʻe maluʻi ai au ʻe he ʻOtua;

3 When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,

‌ʻI he kei ulo ʻa ʻene maama ki hoku ʻulu, pea u ʻalu mo ʻene maama ʻi he fakapoʻuli;

4 As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:

‌ʻO hangē ko ʻeku nofo ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻo ʻeku monūʻia, ʻi he fakataha ʻae kakai ʻoe ʻOtua ʻi hoku fale;

5 When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.

‌ʻI he kei ʻiate au ʻae Māfimafi, pea ʻiate au mo ʻeku fānau;

6 When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:

‌ʻI he tafe ʻae pota ʻi hoku hala, pea lilingi mai ʻe he maka ʻae lolo lahi ʻaupito;

7 When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.

‌ʻI heʻeku ʻalu atu ʻi he loto kolo ki he matapā, pea teuʻi hoku nofoʻanga ʻi he hala lahi!

8 The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.

Naʻe sio kiate au ʻae kau talavou, ʻonau toitoi: pea tutuʻu ki ʻolunga ʻae kau mātuʻa.

9 The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.

Naʻe taʻofi ʻe he ngaahi ʻeiki ʻenau alea, ʻo ʻai honau nima ki honau ngutu.

10 The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.

Naʻe longo pe ʻae houʻeiki, pea piki honau ʻelelo ki honau ʻoʻaoʻingutu.

11 And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.

‌ʻI he ongoʻi au ʻe he telinga, ne ne tāpuakiʻi au; pea ʻi he mamata ʻae mata kiate au, naʻa ne fakamoʻoniʻi au:

12 For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.

He naʻaku fakahaofia ʻae masiva naʻe tangi, ʻae tamai mate, mo ia naʻe ʻikai hano tokoni.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

Ko e tāpuaki ʻo ia naʻe meimei mate ne hoko kiate au: pea naʻaku fakafiefiaʻi ke hiva ʻae loto ʻoe fefine kuo mate hono husepāniti.

14 I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.

Ne u ai ʻae māʻoniʻoni, pea ne ʻufiʻufi ʻaki au: naʻe tatau ʻeku fakamaau mo e pulupulu mo e pale.

15 I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.

Ko e mata au ki he kui, mo e vaʻe ki he ketu.

16 I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.

Ko e tamai au ki he masiva: pea ko e meʻa naʻe ʻikai te u ʻiloʻi ne u kumi lahi ki ai.

17 I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.

Naʻaku fesiʻi ʻae kouʻahe ʻoe fai kovi, ʻo toʻo ʻae meʻa faʻao mei hono nifo.

18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.

Pea u toki pehē, ‘Te u mate ʻi hoku pununga, pea te u fakalahi hoku ngaahi ʻaho ke hangē ko e ʻoneʻone.

19 For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.

Naʻe mafola hoku aka ʻi he ngaahi veʻe vai, pea toka ʻae hahau ki hoku vaʻa ʻi he pō kotoa.

20 My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.

Ko hoku ongoongolelei naʻe maʻuiʻui pe, pea naʻe fakafoʻou ʻeku kaufana ʻi hoku nima.’

21 Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.

“Naʻe fakafanongo ʻae kakai kiate au, ʻo tatali, pea fakalongo pē ʻi heʻeku akonaki.

22 After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.

Hili ʻeku lea naʻe ʻikai te nau tali; pea naʻe tō ʻeku lea kiate kinautolu.

23 And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.

Pea naʻa nau tatali kiate au ʻo hangē ki he ʻuha: pea nau fakamanga lahi honau ngutu ʻo hangē ki he ʻuha mui.

24 If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.

Ne u kata kiate kinautolu, pea ʻikai te nau faʻa tui; pea ko e maama ʻo hoku mata naʻe ʻikai ke nau lī ki lalo.

25 I appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.

Naʻaku fili honau hala, ʻo nofo ko e ʻeiki, ne u nofo ʻo hangē ha tuʻi ʻi he kautau, pea hangē ha taha ʻoku ne fakafiemālieʻi ʻae kakai mamahi.