Joba 22
1 Temani Eliphaz loh a doo tih,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
2 Pathen te hlang loh s hmaiben a? Lungming khaw amah la dawk a hmaiben uh.
“How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
3 Na tang mai tih na mueluemnah mai akhaw, na khoboe soep cakhaw tlungthang hamla naep aya?
Is it any benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
4 Na hinyahnah dongah nang te laitloeknah neh n'khuen tih nang n'tluung a?
Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
5 Na boethae tangkik pawt nim? Nang kah thaesainah te a bawtnah om pawh.
No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
6 Lunglilungla la na manuca na laikoi tih pumtling kah himbai te na pit pah.
For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
7 Buhmueh rhathih te tui na tul pawt tih bungpong te buh na hloh pah.
You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
8 Bantha aka khueh hlang loh amah hamla khohmuen a khueh tih a sokah khosa mikhmuh ah a dangrhoek.
Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
9 Nuhmai te kuttling la na tueih tih cadah te a ban na phop pah.
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
10 Na kaepvai kah pael dongah he khaw na birhihnah neh buengrhuet na let.
That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
11 A hmuep khaw na hmu pawt tih tuili tui loh nang n'khuk.
That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
12 Pathen tah vaan sang kah moenih a? So lah, aisi rhoek kah a lu tah pomsang uh te.
Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
13 Te lalah, “Pathen te metlam a mingpha? Yinnah lamloh lai a tloek a?
But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
14 Anih te khomai loh a huep tih tueng pawh. Te vaengah vaan kah kueluek dongah cet,” na ti.
Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
15 Boethae hlang rhoek loh a cawt khosuen caehlong nim na ngaithuen salah?
Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
16 A tonga uh vaengah a tue pawt ah khaw tuiva loh amih kah khoengim te a hawt pah.
They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
17 “Pathen te mamih taeng lamloh nong saeh, Tlungthang loh mamih taengah balae a saii eh?” a ti uh.
They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Amah loh amih im te hnothen a cung sak sitoe cakhaw halang kah cilsuep tah kai lamloh lakhla saeh.
And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
19 Aka dueng rhoek loh a hmuh vaengah a kohoe uh tih ommongsitoe loh amih te a tamdaeng.
Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
20 Mamih kah thinnaeh a thup vetih amih kah a coih te hmai loh hlawp het pawt nim?
saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
21 Amah neh hmaiben lamtah te nen te thuung laeh. Nang taengah hnothen ha pawk bitni.
Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
22 A ka lamkah olkhueng mah doe laeh, a ol te khaw na thinko khuiah khueh laeh.
Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
23 Tlungthang taengla na mael atah n'thoh bitni dumlai mah na dap lamloh lakhla sak.
If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
24 Pasing te laipi bangla, Ophir te soklong kah lungpang bangla khueh ngawn.
and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
25 Te vaengah na pasing te tlungthang la, cak te na ki la poeh bitni.
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
26 Te daengah ni Tlungthang dongah na ngailaem vetih Pathen taengla na maelhmai na dangrhoek bitni.
Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
27 A taengah na thangthui vaengah nang ol a yaak vetih na olcaeng khaw cung ni.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
28 Olkhueh te na tuiphih vaengah nang hamla thoo vetih na longpuei ah vangnah loh a tue ni.
Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
29 A kunyun uh vaengah koevoeinah na thui dae tlahoei mik ni a khang eh.
When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
30 Ommongsitoe pawt khaw loeih vetih na kut kah cimcaihnah loh a loeih sak ni,” a ti.
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
