Hopa 29
1 A i korero tonu a Hopa i tana pepeha, i mea,
And Job continued his discourse:
2 Aue, me i rite ki nga marama o mua, ki nga ra i tiaki ai te Atua i ahau!
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 I tiaho mai ai tana rama ki toku matenga, a na tana whakamarama i haere ai ahau i te pouri:
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 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;
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 I te mea e noho ana ano te Kaha Rawa i ahau, a kei tetahi taha oku aku tamariki, kei tetahi taha;
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 I horoia ai oku takahanga ki te pata, a rere mai ana nga awa hinu ki ahau i roto i te kohatu!
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 I toku haerenga atu ki te kuwaha ki te pa, a whakapai ana i te nohoanga moku i te waharoa,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 Ka kite nga taitamariki i ahau, a piri ana ratou: whakatika ana nga koroheke, tu ana ki runga;
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 Mutu pu te korero a nga tino tangata, kua kopania te ringa ki o ratou mangai;
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 Ngaro ana te reo o nga rangatira, piri ana o ratou arero ki o ratou ngao.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 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:
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 No te mea naku i whakaora te rawakore i a ia e karanga ana, te pani me te tangata hoki kahore nei ona kaiawhina.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 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.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I kakahuria e ahau te tika, a ko tera toku kakahu: e rite ana taku whakarite whakawa he koroka, he karauna.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 He kanohi ahau ki te matapo, he waewae ki te kopa.
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 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.
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 Wawahia ana e ahau nga kauae o te tangata kino, a takiritia mai ana e ahau tana mea pahua i roto i ona niho.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 Katahi ahau ka mea, Tera ahau e mate i roto i toku ohanga; ka whakanuia oku ra kia rite ki te onepu te maha:
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Ko toku pakiaka tautoro tonu ki nga wai, a i te po tau ana te tomairangi ki runga ki toku peka:
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Ko toku kororia hou tonu i roto i ahau, a hoki ake ana te kaha o taku kopere i toku ringa.
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 I whakarongo mai nga tangata ki ahau, i tatari, whakarongo puku ana ratou i ahau e whakatakoto whakaaro ana.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 I muri i aku kupu kore ake ratou i korero ano; maturuturu iho ana aku kupu ki runga ki a ratou.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 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.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Ka kata ahau ki a ratou, kihai i whakaponohia e ratou; kihai hoki ratou i whakataka i te marama o toku mata.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 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.
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
