1 T hen Job spoke again and said,

A i korero tonu a Hopa i tana pepeha, i mea,

2 “ If only I could be now as I was in the months past 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 H is lamp shined over my head then 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 T hose days were my best days when God was my friend watching over 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 T he All-powerful was still 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 M y path was washed with milk, and the rock poured out rivers 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 W hen I went to the city gate and took my place with the leaders of the city,

I toku haerenga atu ki te kuwaha ki te pa, a whakapai ana i te nohoanga moku i te waharoa,

8 t he young men saw me and let me go by. The old men rose and stood.

Ka kite nga taitamariki i ahau, a piri ana ratou: whakatika ana nga koroheke, tu ana ki runga;

9 T he leaders stopped talking, and put their hands on their mouths.

Mutu pu te korero a nga tino tangata, kua kopania te ringa ki o ratou mangai;

10 T he voices of the rulers were quiet. Their tongues held to the roof of their mouths.

Ngaro ana te reo o nga rangatira, piri ana o ratou arero ki o ratou ngao.

11 T hose who heard me, honored me. Those who saw me, respected 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 b ecause I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents 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 G ood came to me from the man who was dying. And I made the heart of the woman whose husband had died 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 what was right and good, and it clothed me. The right things done were my coat and head-covering.

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 man who could not walk.

He kanohi ahau ki te matapo, he waewae ki te kopa.

16 I was a father to those in need. And I helped those I did not know who had a need.

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 sinful, and took from their teeth what they had taken.

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 T hen I thought, ‘I will die in my nest. My days will be as many 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 M y roots go to the water. As the water is on the grass in the early morning, it will be all night on my branches.

Ko toku pakiaka tautoro tonu ki nga wai, a i te po tau ana te tomairangi ki runga ki toku peka:

20 M y honor is always new to me, and my bow is new 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 and waited. They were quiet so they could hear my words of wisdom.

I whakarongo mai nga tangata ki ahau, i tatari, whakarongo puku ana ratou i ahau e whakatakoto whakaaro ana.

22 A fter I spoke, they did not speak again. My words stayed with them.

I muri i aku kupu kore ake ratou i korero ano; maturuturu iho ana aku kupu ki runga ki a ratou.

23 T hey waited for me as for rain. And they opened their mouths as for 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 looked at them with joy when they were not sure of themselves, and the light of my face gave them comfort.

Ka kata ahau ki a ratou, kihai i whakaponohia e ratou; kihai hoki ratou i whakataka i te marama o toku mata.

25 I decided the way for them and sat as their leader. I lived as a king among his army, and like one who gives comfort to those in sorrow.

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.