Yobu 22
1 Pamenepo Elifazi wa ku Temani anayankha kuti,
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2 “Kodi munthu nʼkukhala waphindu kwa Mulungu? Kodi munthu wanzeru angamupindulire Iye?
Can a man be profitable unto God? surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.
3 Kodi Wamphamvuzonse akanapeza chabwino chotani iweyo ukanakhala wolungama? Kodi iyeyo akanapeza phindu lanji makhalidwe ako akanakhala angwiro?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Kodi nʼchifukwa choti umamuopa, kuti azikudzudzula, kuti azifuna kukukokera ku mlandu?
Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, that he entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Kodi osati nʼchifukwa chakuti kuyipa kwako nʼkwakukulu? Kodi machimo ako si opanda malire?
Is not thy wickedness great? neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 Iwe unkawumiriza abale ako kuti akupatse chikole popanda chifukwa; umalanda anthu zovala zawo ndi kuwasiya amaliseche.
For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, 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 to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 ngakhale unali munthu wamphamvu, wokhala ndi malo akeake, munthu waulemu wake, wokhala mʼdzikomo.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man, he dwelt in it.
9 Ndipo akazi amasiye unawachotsa wopanda kanthu, ndipo unapondereza ana amasiye.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Nʼchifukwa chake misampha yakuzungulira, nʼchifukwa chake tsoka ladzidzidzi lakuchititsa mantha,
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee,
11 nʼchifukwa chake kuli mdima kuti sungathe kuona kanthu, nʼchifukwa chakenso madzi achigumula akumiza.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters 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 height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Komabe iweyo ukunena kuti, ‘Kodi Mulungu amadziwa chiyani? Kodi Iye amaweruza mu mdima woterewu?
And thou sayest, What doth God know? can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Mitambo yakuda yamuphimba, kotero kuti Iye sakutiona pamene akuyendayenda pamwamba pa thambopo.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 Kodi iwe udzayendabe mʼnjira yakale imene anthu oyipa ankayendamo?
Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Iwo anachotsedwa nthawi yawo isanakwane, maziko awo anakokoloka ndi madzi achigumula.
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream:
17 Anthuwo anati kwa Mulungu, ‘Tichokereni! Kodi Wamphamvuzonse angatichitire chiyani?’
Who said unto God, Depart from us; and, What can the Almighty do for us?
18 Chonsecho ndi Iye amene anadzaza nyumba zawo ndi zinthu zabwino, choncho ine sindigwirizana ndi uphungu wa anthu oyipa.
Yet he fired their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “Anthu olungama amaona kuwonongeka kwawo ndipo amakondwera; anthu osalakwa amangoseka, akamuona woyipa akulangidwa.
The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 Amanena kuti, ‘Ndithudi adani athu awonongeka ndipo moto wawononga chuma chawo!’
[Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.
21 “Gonjera Mulungu kuti ukhale naye pamtendere; ukatero udzaona zabwino.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Landira malangizo a pakamwa pake ndipo usunge mawu ake mu mtima mwako.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine 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 unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 ndipo chuma chamtengowapatali nuchiona ngati fumbi, golide wa ku Ofiri numutaya ku miyala ya ku zigwa.
And lay thou [thy] treasure in the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 Pamenepo Wamphamvuzonseyo adzakhala golide wako, siliva wako wamtengowapatali.
And the Almighty shall be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee.
26 Pamenepo udzakondwera naye Wamphamvuzonse ndipo udzakweza nkhope yako kwa Mulungu.
For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Udzamupempha ndipo adzakumvera, ndipo udzapereka zimene unalonjeza.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Chimene watsimikiza kuti uchite, chidzachitikadi, kuwala kudzakuwunikira pa njira yako.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Pamene anthu agwetsedwa pansi, iwe nʼkunena kuti, ‘Akwezeni!’ Pamenepo Iye adzapulumutsa anthu oponderezedwa.
When they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and the humble person he shall save.
30 Iye adzapulumutsa ngakhale munthu amene ndi wolakwa, ameneyo adzapulumutsidwa kudzera mʼkulungama kwako.”
He shall deliver [even] him that is not innocent: yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thine hands.
