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 profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to 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?
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Kodi osati nʼchifukwa chakuti kuyipa kwako nʼkwakukulu? Kodi machimo ako si opanda malire?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities without end?
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 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 to drink, and thou hast withheld 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 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 around 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, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
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?
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Iwo anachotsedwa nthawi yawo isanakwane, maziko awo anakokoloka ndi madzi achigumula.
Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
17 Anthuwo anati kwa Mulungu, ‘Tichokereni! Kodi Wamphamvuzonse angatichitire chiyani?’
Who said to God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
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: 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 mock them.
20 Amanena kuti, ‘Ndithudi adani athu awonongeka ndipo moto wawononga chuma chawo!’
Though our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 “Gonjera Mulungu kuti ukhale naye pamtendere; ukatero udzaona zabwino.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to 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 thy heart.
23 Ukabwerera kwa Wamphamvuzonse udzabwezeretsedwa; ukachotsa zoyipa zonse zimene zimachitika mʼnyumba mwako,
If thou shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tents.
24 ndipo chuma chamtengowapatali nuchiona ngati fumbi, golide wa ku Ofiri numutaya ku miyala ya ku zigwa.
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 Pamenepo Wamphamvuzonseyo adzakhala golide wako, siliva wako wamtengowapatali.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 Pamenepo udzakondwera naye Wamphamvuzonse ndipo udzakweza nkhope yako kwa Mulungu.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Udzamupempha ndipo adzakumvera, ndipo udzapereka zimene unalonjeza.
Thou shalt make thy prayer to 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 to thee: and the 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, then thou shalt say, Lift them up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Iye adzapulumutsa ngakhale munthu amene ndi wolakwa, ameneyo adzapulumutsidwa kudzera mʼkulungama kwako.”
He shall deliver the isle of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
