Yobu 22
1 Pamenepo Elifazi wa ku Temani anayankha kuti,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Kodi munthu nʼkukhala waphindu kwa Mulungu? Kodi munthu wanzeru angamupindulire Iye?
Can a man, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth himself.
3 Kodi Wamphamvuzonse akanapeza chabwino chotani iweyo ukanakhala wolungama? Kodi iyeyo akanapeza phindu lanji makhalidwe ako akanakhala angwiro?
Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
4 “Kodi nʼchifukwa choti umamuopa, kuti azikudzudzula, kuti azifuna kukukokera ku mlandu?
Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Kodi osati nʼchifukwa chakuti kuyipa kwako nʼkwakukulu? Kodi machimo ako si opanda malire?
Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
6 Iwe unkawumiriza abale ako kuti akupatse chikole popanda chifukwa; umalanda anthu zovala zawo ndi kuwasiya amaliseche.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing.
7 Sunawapatse madzi anthu otopa, ndipo unawamana chakudya anthu anjala,
Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry.
8 ngakhale unali munthu wamphamvu, wokhala ndi malo akeake, munthu waulemu wake, wokhala mʼdzikomo.
But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 Ndipo akazi amasiye unawachotsa wopanda kanthu, ndipo unapondereza ana amasiye.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, And broken the arms of the fatherless.
10 Nʼchifukwa chake misampha yakuzungulira, nʼchifukwa chake tsoka ladzidzidzi lakuchititsa mantha,
Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear confoundeth thee;
11 nʼchifukwa chake kuli mdima kuti sungathe kuona kanthu, nʼchifukwa chakenso madzi achigumula akumiza.
Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water cover thee.
12 “Kodi Mulungu sali kutalitali kumwamba? Ndipo ona nyenyezi zili mmwamba kwambirizo, ona kutalika kwake pamene zililipo!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the stars, how high they are!
13 Komabe iweyo ukunena kuti, ‘Kodi Mulungu amadziwa chiyani? Kodi Iye amaweruza mu mdima woterewu?
Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
14 Mitambo yakuda yamuphimba, kotero kuti Iye sakutiona pamene akuyendayenda pamwamba pa thambopo.’
Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.”
15 Kodi iwe udzayendabe mʼnjira yakale imene anthu oyipa ankayendamo?
Wilt thou take the old way Which wicked men have trodden,
16 Iwo anachotsedwa nthawi yawo isanakwane, maziko awo anakokoloka ndi madzi achigumula.
Who were cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 Anthuwo anati kwa Mulungu, ‘Tichokereni! Kodi Wamphamvuzonse angatichitire chiyani?’
Who said unto God, “Depart from us!” And, “What can the Almighty do to us?”
18 Chonsecho ndi Iye amene anadzaza nyumba zawo ndi zinthu zabwino, choncho ine sindigwirizana ndi uphungu wa anthu oyipa.
And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be the counsel of the wicked!
19 “Anthu olungama amaona kuwonongeka kwawo ndipo amakondwera; anthu osalakwa amangoseka, akamuona woyipa akulangidwa.
The righteous see their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision.
20 Amanena kuti, ‘Ndithudi adani athu awonongeka ndipo moto wawononga chuma chawo!’
“Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!”
21 “Gonjera Mulungu kuti ukhale naye pamtendere; ukatero udzaona zabwino.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thus shall prosperity return to thee.
22 Landira malangizo a pakamwa pake ndipo usunge mawu ake mu mtima mwako.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Ukabwerera kwa Wamphamvuzonse udzabwezeretsedwa; ukachotsa zoyipa zonse zimene zimachitika mʼnyumba mwako,
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up; If thou put away iniquity from thy tent.
24 ndipo chuma chamtengowapatali nuchiona ngati fumbi, golide wa ku Ofiri numutaya ku miyala ya ku zigwa.
Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
25 Pamenepo Wamphamvuzonseyo adzakhala golide wako, siliva wako wamtengowapatali.
Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
26 Pamenepo udzakondwera naye Wamphamvuzonse ndipo udzakweza nkhope yako kwa Mulungu.
For then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Udzamupempha ndipo adzakumvera, ndipo udzapereka zimene unalonjeza.
Thou shalt pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows.
28 Chimene watsimikiza kuti uchite, chidzachitikadi, kuwala kudzakuwunikira pa njira yako.
The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with thee, And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Pamene anthu agwetsedwa pansi, iwe nʼkunena kuti, ‘Akwezeni!’ Pamenepo Iye adzapulumutsa anthu oponderezedwa.
When men are cast down, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save.
30 Iye adzapulumutsa ngakhale munthu amene ndi wolakwa, ameneyo adzapulumutsidwa kudzera mʼkulungama kwako.”
He will deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.
