< Job 21 >

1 Then Job made answer and said,
Ningĩ Ayubu agĩcookia atĩrĩ:
2 Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.
“Thikĩrĩriai wega ciugo ciakwa; rekei ũndũ ũyũ ũtuĩke nĩguo mũkũũhooreria naguo.
3 Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.
Ngirĩrĩriai na niĩ njarie, na ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, mũgĩcooke mũũnyũrũrie.
4 As for me, is my outcry against man? is it then to be wondered at if my spirit is troubled?
“Niĩ-rĩ, kaĩ mateta makwa meerekeirio mũndũ? Ngũkĩaga kũremwo nĩ gũkirĩrĩria nĩkĩ?
5 Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.
Ta ndorai mũgege; mwĩnyiite tũnua twanyu na moko nĩ kũmaka.
6 At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear.
Ndĩciiragia ũhoro ũyũ ngamaka mũno; ngethithimũkwo nĩ mwĩrĩ, ngambĩrĩria kũinaina.
7 Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?
Atĩrĩ, andũ arĩa aaganu marekagwo matũũre muoyo nĩkĩ, magakũra o na magakĩrĩrĩria kũgĩa na ũhoti?
8 Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Nĩmeonagĩra ciana ciao ikĩgaacĩra kũu marĩ, makoona rũciaro rwao rũkĩĩhaanda mbere ya maitho mao.
9 Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.
Mĩciĩ yao ĩikaraga ĩgitĩirwo na ĩtarĩ na guoya; naruo rũthanju rwa Ngai rũtimahũũraga.
10 Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young.
Ndegwa ciao itiagaga kũgwatia; ngʼombe ciao iciaraga, na itihunaga.
11 They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,
Moimagaragia twana twao tũingĩ o ta rũũru; ciana icio ciao ikaina igĩtũrũhaga.
12 They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe.
Nao o ene mainaga makĩhũũraga tũhembe na inanda cia mũgeeto; mekenagia na mũgambo wa mũtũrirũ.
13 Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
Matũũraga mĩaka yao magaacĩire, na magathiĩ mbĩrĩra-inĩ marĩ na thayũ. (Sheol h7585)
14 Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.
Na no-o meeraga Mũrungu atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ! Tigana na ithuĩ! Tũtikwenda kũmenya njĩra ciaku.
15 What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?
Mwene-Hinya-Wothe nĩwe ũ, atĩ nĩguo tũmũtungatagĩre? Tũkũgunĩka nakĩ tũngĩmũhooya?’
16 Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
No rĩrĩ, kũgaacĩra kwao gũtirĩ moko-inĩ mao ene, nĩ ũndũ ũcio niĩ njikaraga haraaya na kĩrĩra kĩa andũ arĩa aaganu.
17 How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?
“Na rĩrĩ, nĩ maita maigana tawa wa arĩa aaganu ũhoragio? Nĩ maita maigana makoragwo nĩ mũtino, na nĩ maita maigana Ngai amagayagĩra ruo nĩ kũmarakarĩra?
18 How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind?
Nĩ maita maigana matuĩkaga ta nyeki nyũmũ ĩkũhurutwo nĩ rũhuho, o na kana ta maragara marĩa mombũragwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio?
19 You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!
Kuugagwo atĩrĩ, ‘Ngai aigagĩra ciana iherithia rĩa ithe wao.’ No rĩrĩ, nĩ kaba Ngai aherithie mũndũ ũcio we mwene, nĩguo amenye nĩehĩtie!
20 Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!
Maitho make nĩmeyonere mwanangĩko wake mwene; nĩarekwo akunde mangʼũrĩ ma Mwene-Hinya-Wothe.
21 For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?
Nĩ ũndũ-rĩ, anga no eetangaga ha ũhoro wa andũ ake arĩa agaatiga na thuutha, matukũ make maathira?
22 Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.
“Nĩ kũrĩ mũndũ o na ũmwe ũngĩhota kũruta Mũrungu atĩ nĩguo agĩe na ũmenyo, kuona atĩ Mũrungu nĩwe ũtuanagĩra ciira, o na agatuĩra arĩa atũũgĩirie mũno?
23 One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:
Nĩ kũrĩ mũndũ ũkuuaga arĩ na hinya wake wothe, arĩ mũgitĩre wega biũ, na arĩ na thayũ,
24 His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones.
mwĩrĩ wake ũheetwo irio wega, na mahĩndĩ ma mĩthiimo yake marĩ o maigũ.
25 And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.
Mũndũ ũngĩ agakua arĩ na marũrũ ma ngoro, atarĩ aakenera kĩndũ kĩega o na kĩ.
26 Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.
Makomaga o ro ũndũ ũmwe tĩĩri-inĩ, na eerĩ-rĩ, igunyũ ikamahumbĩra.
27 See, I am conscious of your thoughts, and of your violent purposes against me;
“Niĩ nĩnjũũĩ wega ũrĩa mũreciiria, ngamenya mathugunda manyu maakũhĩtĩria namo.
28 For you say, Where is the house of the ruler, and where is the tent of the evil-doer?
Mũrooria atĩrĩ, ‘Rĩu nyũmba ya mũndũ ũrĩa mũnene ĩkĩrĩ ha, na hema ĩrĩa andũ aaganu maratũũraga-rĩ, ĩkĩrĩ ha?’
29 Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?
Kaĩ mũtarĩ muoria andũ arĩa mathiiaga ngʼendo? Kaĩ mũtarũmbũyagia ũrĩa mamwĩraga:
30 How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath?
atĩ mũndũ ũrĩa mwaganu nĩ aiguagĩrwo tha mũthenya wa mũtino, atĩ nĩahonokagio mũthenya wa mangʼũrĩ?
31 Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?
Nũũ ũreganaga na mĩtugo ya mũndũ mwaganu maitho-inĩ make? Nũũ ũmũrĩhagia kũringana na maũndũ marĩa aaneka?
32 He is taken to his last resting-place, and keeps watch over it.
Atwaragwo mbĩrĩra-inĩ, nayo mbĩrĩra yake ĩkarangagĩrwo.
33 The earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.
Tĩĩri wa gĩtuamba nĩũrĩ mũrĩo harĩ we; andũ othe nĩwe marũmagĩrĩra, na kĩrĩndĩ gĩtangĩtarĩka gĩgathiiaga mbere yake.
34 Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit?
“Mwakĩhota atĩa kũũhooreria na ndeto cia tũhũ? Hatirĩ kĩndũ gĩtigaru harĩ macookio manyu tiga o maheeni!”

< Job 21 >