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 be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?
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 if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
4 “Kodi nʼchifukwa choti umamuopa, kuti azikudzudzula, kuti azifuna kukukokera ku mlandu?
Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?
5 Kodi osati nʼchifukwa chakuti kuyipa kwako nʼkwakukulu? Kodi machimo ako si opanda malire?
Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?
6 Iwe unkawumiriza abale ako kuti akupatse chikole popanda chifukwa; umalanda anthu zovala zawo ndi kuwasiya amaliseche.
For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.
7 Sunawapatse madzi anthu otopa, ndipo unawamana chakudya anthu anjala,
You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people
8 ngakhale unali munthu wamphamvu, wokhala ndi malo akeake, munthu waulemu wake, wokhala mʼdzikomo.
although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.
9 Ndipo akazi amasiye unawachotsa wopanda kanthu, ndipo unapondereza ana amasiye.
You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Nʼchifukwa chake misampha yakuzungulira, nʼchifukwa chake tsoka ladzidzidzi lakuchititsa mantha,
Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.
11 nʼchifukwa chake kuli mdima kuti sungathe kuona kanthu, nʼchifukwa chakenso madzi achigumula akumiza.
There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.
12 “Kodi Mulungu sali kutalitali kumwamba? Ndipo ona nyenyezi zili mmwamba kwambirizo, ona kutalika kwake pamene zililipo!
Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Komabe iweyo ukunena kuti, ‘Kodi Mulungu amadziwa chiyani? Kodi Iye amaweruza mu mdima woterewu?
You say, 'What does 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, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'
15 Kodi iwe udzayendabe mʼnjira yakale imene anthu oyipa ankayendamo?
Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—
16 Iwo anachotsedwa nthawi yawo isanakwane, maziko awo anakokoloka ndi madzi achigumula.
those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,
17 Anthuwo anati kwa Mulungu, ‘Tichokereni! Kodi Wamphamvuzonse angatichitire chiyani?’
those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, '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.
Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.
19 “Anthu olungama amaona kuwonongeka kwawo ndipo amakondwera; anthu osalakwa amangoseka, akamuona woyipa akulangidwa.
Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.
20 Amanena kuti, ‘Ndithudi adani athu awonongeka ndipo moto wawononga chuma chawo!’
They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'
21 “Gonjera Mulungu kuti ukhale naye pamtendere; ukatero udzaona zabwino.
Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.
22 Landira malangizo a pakamwa pake ndipo usunge mawu ake mu mtima mwako.
Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store up his words in your heart.
23 Ukabwerera kwa Wamphamvuzonse udzabwezeretsedwa; ukachotsa zoyipa zonse zimene zimachitika mʼnyumba mwako,
If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.
24 ndipo chuma chamtengowapatali nuchiona ngati fumbi, golide wa ku Ofiri numutaya ku miyala ya ku zigwa.
Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Pamenepo Wamphamvuzonseyo adzakhala golide wako, siliva wako wamtengowapatali.
and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.
26 Pamenepo udzakondwera naye Wamphamvuzonse ndipo udzakweza nkhope yako kwa Mulungu.
For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.
27 Udzamupempha ndipo adzakumvera, ndipo udzapereka zimene unalonjeza.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.
28 Chimene watsimikiza kuti uchite, chidzachitikadi, kuwala kudzakuwunikira pa njira yako.
You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.
29 Pamene anthu agwetsedwa pansi, iwe nʼkunena kuti, ‘Akwezeni!’ Pamenepo Iye adzapulumutsa anthu oponderezedwa.
God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.
30 Iye adzapulumutsa ngakhale munthu amene ndi wolakwa, ameneyo adzapulumutsidwa kudzera mʼkulungama kwako.”
He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”
