Ang mga Pagpapalang Tinanggap Noon ni Job
1Nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita si Job, 2“Kung maibabalik ko lang sana ang mga nagdaang araw noong kinakalinga pa ako ng Dios, 3noong tinatanglawan pa niya ang aking daan habang lumalakad ako sa dilim. 4Noong akoʼy nasa mabuti pang kalagayan, ang Dios ay matalik kong kaibigan, at pinagpapala niya ang sambahayan ko. 5Pinapatnubayan pa ako noon ng Dios na Makapangyarihan, at magkakasama pa kami ng mga anak ko. 6Ang mga baka ko nooʼy nagbibigay sa akin ng maraming gatas at mula sa mga tanim kong olibo ay umaani ako ng napakaraming langis. 7Kapag pumupunta ako sa pintuang bayan at sumasama sa mga pinuno ng lungsod sa tuwing may pagpupulong sila, 8tumatabi ang mga kabataang lalaki kapag nakita nila ako, at ang matatandaʼy tumatayo para magbigay galang sa akin. 9Tumatahimik kahit ang mga pinuno 10at ang mararangal na tao kapag nakikita nila ako. 11Pinupuri ako ng mga taong nanonood o nakikinig sa aking pagsasalita. 12Sapagkat tinutulungan ko ang mga dukhang humihingi ng tulong at mga ulilang walang malapitan. 13Binabasbasan ako ng mga taong nag-aagaw buhay na aking tinulungan, at umaawit sa galak ang mga biyuda na aking natulungan din. 14Palagi kong ginagawa ang tama at matuwid; para itong damit at turban na aking isinusuot. 15Naging parang mata ako sa taong bulag at paa sa pilay. 16Naging parang ama ako sa mga dukha, at kahit ang mga dayuhan ay tinulungan ko sa kanilang mga suliranin. 17Winasak ko ang kapangyarihan ng masasamang tao at iniligtas ko ang mga biktima nila.
18“Ang akala koʼy hahaba pa ang buhay ko, at mamamatay na kasama ang aking sambahayan. 19Sapagkat ang katulad ko nooʼy matibay na punongkahoy na umaabot ang mga ugat sa tubig at laging nahahamugan ang mga sanga. 20Palagi akong malakas at pinupuri ng mga tao. 21Kapag nagpapayo ako, tumatahimik ang mga tao at nakikinig nang mabuti. 22Pagkatapos kong magsalita, hindi na sila nagsasalita dahil nasisiyahan na sila sa mga sinabi ko. 23Pinanabikan nila ang mga sasabihin ko tulad ng pagkasabik nila sa pagdating ng ulan. Gusto talaga nila akong mapakinggan. 24Halos hindi sila makapaniwala kapag ngumiti ako, dahil ang masayang mukha koʼy nagpapalakas sa kanila. 25Tulad ng isang pinuno, tinuturuan ko sila kung ano ang dapat gawin. Pinamumunuan ko sila tulad ng haring namumuno sa kanyang mga kawal. At inaaliw ko sila kapag silaʼy nalulungkot.
Job’s Final Speech
1Job continued to speak. He said,
2“How I long for the times when things were better!
That’s when God watched over me.
3The light of his lamp shone on me.
I walked through darkness by his light.
4Those were the best days of my life.
That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.
5The Mighty One was still with me.
My children were all around me.
6The path in front of me was like sweet cream.
It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.
7“In those days I went to the city gate.
I took my seat as a member of the council.
8Young people who saw me stepped to one side.
Old people stood up as I approached.
9The leaders stopped speaking.
They covered their mouths with their hands.
10The voices of the nobles became quiet.
Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11Everyone who heard me said good things about me.
Those who saw me honored me.
12That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help.
I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.
13Those who were dying gave me their blessing.
I made the hearts of widows sing.
14I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes.
Fairness was my robe and my turban.
15I was like eyes for those who were blind.
I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.
16I was like a father to needy people.
I stood up for strangers in court.
17Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth.
But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.
18“I thought, ‘I’ll die in my own house.
The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.
19My roots will reach down to the water.
The dew will lie all night on my branches.
20I will remain healthy and strong.
My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.’
21“People wanted to hear what I had to say.
They waited silently for the advice I gave them.
22After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore.
My words fell gently on their ears.
23They waited for me just as they would wait for rain showers.
They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.
24When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it.
The light of my face lifted their spirits.
25I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief.
I lived as a king lives among his troops.
I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.
