Yobu 22
1 Pamenepo Elifazi wa ku Temani anayankha kuti,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 “Kodi munthu nʼkukhala waphindu kwa Mulungu? Kodi munthu wanzeru angamupindulire Iye?
“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is 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 you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
4 “Kodi nʼchifukwa choti umamuopa, kuti azikudzudzula, kuti azifuna kukukokera ku mlandu?
Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?
5 Kodi osati nʼchifukwa chakuti kuyipa kwako nʼkwakukulu? Kodi machimo ako si opanda malire?
Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6 Iwe unkawumiriza abale ako kuti akupatse chikole popanda chifukwa; umalanda anthu zovala zawo ndi kuwasiya amaliseche.
For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Sunawapatse madzi anthu otopa, ndipo unawamana chakudya anthu anjala,
You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have 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. The honourable man, he lived in it.
9 Ndipo akazi amasiye unawachotsa wopanda kanthu, ndipo unapondereza ana amasiye.
You have 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 you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11 nʼchifukwa chake kuli mdima kuti sungathe kuona kanthu, nʼchifukwa chakenso madzi achigumula akumiza.
or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12 “Kodi Mulungu sali kutalitali kumwamba? Ndipo ona nyenyezi zili mmwamba kwambirizo, ona kutalika kwake pamene zililipo!
“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See 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 doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
15 Kodi iwe udzayendabe mʼnjira yakale imene anthu oyipa ankayendamo?
Will you 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 to 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 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. The innocent ridicule them,
20 Amanena kuti, ‘Ndithudi adani athu awonongeka ndipo moto wawononga chuma chawo!’
saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
21 “Gonjera Mulungu kuti ukhale naye pamtendere; ukatero udzaona zabwino.
“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
22 Landira malangizo a pakamwa pake ndipo usunge mawu ake mu mtima mwako.
Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay 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 away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24 ndipo chuma chamtengowapatali nuchiona ngati fumbi, golide wa ku Ofiri numutaya ku miyala ya ku zigwa.
Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir amongst the stones of the brooks.
25 Pamenepo Wamphamvuzonseyo adzakhala golide wako, siliva wako wamtengowapatali.
The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26 Pamenepo udzakondwera naye Wamphamvuzonse ndipo udzakweza nkhope yako kwa Mulungu.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and 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.
28 Chimene watsimikiza kuti uchite, chidzachitikadi, kuwala kudzakuwunikira pa njira yako.
You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
29 Pamene anthu agwetsedwa pansi, iwe nʼkunena kuti, ‘Akwezeni!’ Pamenepo Iye adzapulumutsa anthu oponderezedwa.
When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
30 Iye adzapulumutsa ngakhale munthu amene ndi wolakwa, ameneyo adzapulumutsidwa kudzera mʼkulungama kwako.”
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
