< Job 4 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
Awo Erifaazi Omutemani n’ayanukula ng’agamba nti,
2 Hast you been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of your words?
“Omuntu bw’anaayogera naawe onoonyiiga? Naye ani ayinza okusirika obusirisi?
3 For whereas you have instructed many, and have strengthened the hands of the weak one,
Laba, wayigiriza bangi, emikono eminafu wagizzaamu amaanyi.
4 and have supported the failing with words, and have imparted courage to feeble knees.
Ebigambo byo byanyweza abaali bagwa, era ng’ozzaamu amaanyi amaviivi agaali gakankana.
5 Yet now [that] pain has come upon you, and touched you, you are troubled.
Naye kaakano kikutuuseeko, oweddemu amaanyi; kikutte ku ggwe n’oggwaawo!
6 Is not your fear [founded] in folly, your hope also, and the mischief of your way?
Okutya Katonda wo si bwe bwesige bwo, n’obwesimbu bwo si ly’essuubi lyo?
7 Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
“Kaakano lowooza; ani ataliiko musango eyali azikiridde? Oba wa abatuukirivu gye baali bamaliddwawo?
8 Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
Okusinziira ku kyendabye; abo abateekateeka okukola ebibi era ne basiga ebitali bya butuukirivu, bakungula bizibu.
9 They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.
Bazikirizibwa omukka Katonda gw’assa, bamalibwawo obusungu bwe.
10 The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.
Okuwuluguma kw’empologoma, n’eddoboozi ly’empologoma enkambwe, n’amannyo g’empologoma ento gamenyeka.
11 The old lion has perished for lack of food, and the lions' whelps have forsaken one another.
Empologoma ey’amaanyi ezikirira olw’okubulwa omuyiggo, n’obwana bw’empologoma busaasaana.
12 But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have befallen you. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from him?
“Nategeezebwa ekigambo eky’ekyama, ne nkitegera okutu.
13 But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,
Wakati mu birowoozo n’okwolesebwa kw’ekiro ng’otulo otungi tukutte omuntu,
14 horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.
okutya n’okukankana byankwata ne bireetera amagumba gange okunyegenya.
15 And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
Omwoyo gw’ayita mu maaso gange, obwoya bw’oku mubiri gwange ne buyimirira.
16 I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
Ne buyimirira butengerera, naye saasobola kwetegereza ndabika yaabwo, n’ekifaananyi kyali mu maaso gange, ne wabaawo akasiriikiriro, ne ndyoka mpulira eddoboozi nga ligamba nti,
17 What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?
‘Omuntu afa ayinza okuba omutuukirivu okusinga Katonda? Omuntu ayinza okuba omulongoofu okusinga Omutonzi we?
18 Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his angels.
Obanga abaddu be tabeesiga, nga bamalayika be abalanga ensobi
19 But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
kale kiriba kitya, abo abasula mu z’ebbumba ezirina emisingi egiri mu nfuufu, ababetentebwa n’okusinga ekiwojjolo?
20 And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they can’t help themselves.
Bamalibwawo wakati w’amakya n’akawungeezi, bazikirira emirembe n’emirembe awatali abafaako.
21 For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
Omuguwa gwa weema yaabwe gusimbulwa munda, ne bafa ng’abasirusiru.’”

< Job 4 >