Yobu 22
1 Pamenepo Elifazi wa ku Temani anayankha kuti,
Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:
2 “Kodi munthu nʼkukhala waphindu kwa Mulungu? Kodi munthu wanzeru angamupindulire Iye?
Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?
3 Kodi Wamphamvuzonse akanapeza chabwino chotani iweyo ukanakhala wolungama? Kodi iyeyo akanapeza phindu lanji makhalidwe ako akanakhala angwiro?
What doth it profit God if thou be just? or what dost thou give him if thy way be unspotted?
4 “Kodi nʼchifukwa choti umamuopa, kuti azikudzudzula, kuti azifuna kukukokera ku mlandu?
Shall he reprove thee for fear, and come with thee into judgment:
5 Kodi osati nʼchifukwa chakuti kuyipa kwako nʼkwakukulu? Kodi machimo ako si opanda malire?
And not for thy manifold wickedness, and thy infinite iniquities?
6 Iwe unkawumiriza abale ako kuti akupatse chikole popanda chifukwa; umalanda anthu zovala zawo ndi kuwasiya amaliseche.
For thou hast taken away the pledge of thy brethren without cause, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Sunawapatse madzi anthu otopa, ndipo unawamana chakudya anthu anjala,
Thou hast not given water to the weary, thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.
8 ngakhale unali munthu wamphamvu, wokhala ndi malo akeake, munthu waulemu wake, wokhala mʼdzikomo.
In the strength of thy arm thou didst possess the land, and being the most mighty thou holdest it.
9 Ndipo akazi amasiye unawachotsa wopanda kanthu, ndipo unapondereza ana amasiye.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.
10 Nʼchifukwa chake misampha yakuzungulira, nʼchifukwa chake tsoka ladzidzidzi lakuchititsa mantha,
Therefore art thou surrounded with snares, and sudden fear troubleth thee.
11 nʼchifukwa chake kuli mdima kuti sungathe kuona kanthu, nʼchifukwa chakenso madzi achigumula akumiza.
And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?
12 “Kodi Mulungu sali kutalitali kumwamba? Ndipo ona nyenyezi zili mmwamba kwambirizo, ona kutalika kwake pamene zililipo!
Dost not thou think that God is higher than heaven, and is elevated above the height of the stars?
13 Komabe iweyo ukunena kuti, ‘Kodi Mulungu amadziwa chiyani? Kodi Iye amaweruza mu mdima woterewu?
And thou sayst: What doth God know? and he judgeth as it were through a mist.
14 Mitambo yakuda yamuphimba, kotero kuti Iye sakutiona pamene akuyendayenda pamwamba pa thambopo.’
The clouds are his covert, and he doth not consider our things, and he walketh about the poles of heaven.
15 Kodi iwe udzayendabe mʼnjira yakale imene anthu oyipa ankayendamo?
Dost thou desire to keep the path of ages, which wicked men have trodden?
16 Iwo anachotsedwa nthawi yawo isanakwane, maziko awo anakokoloka ndi madzi achigumula.
Who were taken away before their time, and a flood hath overthrown their foundation.
17 Anthuwo anati kwa Mulungu, ‘Tichokereni! Kodi Wamphamvuzonse angatichitire chiyani?’
Who said to God: Depart from us: and looked upon the Almighty as if he could do nothing:
18 Chonsecho ndi Iye amene anadzaza nyumba zawo ndi zinthu zabwino, choncho ine sindigwirizana ndi uphungu wa anthu oyipa.
Whereas he had filled their houses with good things: whose way of thinking be far from me.
19 “Anthu olungama amaona kuwonongeka kwawo ndipo amakondwera; anthu osalakwa amangoseka, akamuona woyipa akulangidwa.
The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.
20 Amanena kuti, ‘Ndithudi adani athu awonongeka ndipo moto wawononga chuma chawo!’
Is not their exaltation cut down, and hath not fire devoured the remnants of them?
21 “Gonjera Mulungu kuti ukhale naye pamtendere; ukatero udzaona zabwino.
Submit thyself then to him, and be at peace: and thereby thou shalt have the best fruits.
22 Landira malangizo a pakamwa pake ndipo usunge mawu ake mu mtima mwako.
Receive the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Ukabwerera kwa Wamphamvuzonse udzabwezeretsedwa; ukachotsa zoyipa zonse zimene zimachitika mʼnyumba mwako,
If thou wilt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, and shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle.
24 ndipo chuma chamtengowapatali nuchiona ngati fumbi, golide wa ku Ofiri numutaya ku miyala ya ku zigwa.
He shall give for earth flint, and for flint torrents of gold.
25 Pamenepo Wamphamvuzonseyo adzakhala golide wako, siliva wako wamtengowapatali.
And the Almighty shall be against thy enemies, and silver shall be heaped together for thee.
26 Pamenepo udzakondwera naye Wamphamvuzonse ndipo udzakweza nkhope yako kwa Mulungu.
Then shalt thou abound in delights in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Udzamupempha ndipo adzakumvera, ndipo udzapereka zimene unalonjeza.
Thou shalt pray to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay vows.
28 Chimene watsimikiza kuti uchite, chidzachitikadi, kuwala kudzakuwunikira pa njira yako.
Thou shalt decree a thing, and it I shall come to thee, and light shall shine in thy ways.
29 Pamene anthu agwetsedwa pansi, iwe nʼkunena kuti, ‘Akwezeni!’ Pamenepo Iye adzapulumutsa anthu oponderezedwa.
For he that hath been humbled, shall be in glory: and he that shall bow down his eyes, he shall be saved.
30 Iye adzapulumutsa ngakhale munthu amene ndi wolakwa, ameneyo adzapulumutsidwa kudzera mʼkulungama kwako.”
The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands.
