Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
A i korero tonu a Hopa i tana pepeha, i mea,
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
Aue, me i rite ki nga marama o mua, ki nga ra i tiaki ai te Atua i ahau!
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
I tiaho mai ai tana rama ki toku matenga, a na tana whakamarama i haere ai ahau i te pouri:
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] 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 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all 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 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
I horoia ai oku takahanga ki te pata, a rere mai ana nga awa hinu ki ahau i roto i te kohatu!
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
I toku haerenga atu ki te kuwaha ki te pa, a whakapai ana i te nohoanga moku i te waharoa,
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
Ka kite nga taitamariki i ahau, a piri ana ratou: whakatika ana nga koroheke, tu ana ki runga;
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
Mutu pu te korero a nga tino tangata, kua kopania te ringa ki o ratou mangai;
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
Ngaro ana te reo o nga rangatira, piri ana o ratou arero ki o ratou ngao.
11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they 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 had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
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 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
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 always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
I kakahuria e ahau te tika, a ko tera toku kakahu: e rite ana taku whakarite whakawa he koroka, he karauna.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
He kanohi ahau ki te matapo, he waewae ki te kopa.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
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 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
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 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
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 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Ko toku pakiaka tautoro tonu ki nga wai, a i te po tau ana te tomairangi ki runga ki toku peka:
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Ko toku kororia hou tonu i roto i ahau, a hoki ake ana te kaha o taku kopere i toku ringa.
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
I whakarongo mai nga tangata ki ahau, i tatari, whakarongo puku ana ratou i ahau e whakatakoto whakaaro ana.
22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
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 [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
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 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Ka kata ahau ki a ratou, kihai i whakaponohia e ratou; kihai hoki ratou i whakataka i te marama o toku mata.
25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
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.
