Job 21
1 Then Job responded by saying:
Ningĩ Ayubu agĩcookia atĩrĩ:
2 I beseech you to hear my words and to do penance.
“Thikĩrĩriai wega ciugo ciakwa; rekei ũndũ ũyũ ũtuĩke nĩguo mũkũũhooreria naguo.
3 Permit me, and I will speak, and afterwards, if you see fit, you can laugh at my words.
Ngirĩrĩriai na niĩ njarie, na ndaarĩkia kwaria-rĩ, mũgĩcooke mũũnyũrũrie.
4 Is my dispute against man, so that I would have no reason to be discouraged?
“Niĩ-rĩ, kaĩ mateta makwa meerekeirio mũndũ? Ngũkĩaga kũremwo nĩ gũkirĩrĩria nĩkĩ?
5 Listen to me and be astonished, and place a finger over your mouth.
Ta ndorai mũgege; mwĩnyiite tũnua twanyu na moko nĩ kũmaka.
6 As for me, when I think it over, I am afraid, and trembling convulses my body.
Ndĩciiragia ũhoro ũyũ ngamaka mũno; ngethithimũkwo nĩ mwĩrĩ, ngambĩrĩria kũinaina.
7 Why then do the impious live, having been lifted up and strengthened with riches?
Atĩrĩ, andũ arĩa aaganu marekagwo matũũre muoyo nĩkĩ, magakũra o na magakĩrĩrĩria kũgĩa na ũhoti?
8 They see their offspring continue before them: a commotion of close relatives and of children’s children in their sight.
Nĩmeonagĩra ciana ciao ikĩgaacĩra kũu marĩ, makoona rũciaro rwao rũkĩĩhaanda mbere ya maitho mao.
9 Their houses have been secure and peaceable, and there is no staff of God over them.
Mĩciĩ yao ĩikaraga ĩgitĩirwo na ĩtarĩ na guoya; naruo rũthanju rwa Ngai rũtimahũũraga.
10 Their cattle have conceived and have not miscarried; their cow has given birth and is not deprived of her newborn.
Ndegwa ciao itiagaga kũgwatia; ngʼombe ciao iciaraga, na itihunaga.
11 Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children jump around playfully.
Moimagaragia twana twao tũingĩ o ta rũũru; ciana icio ciao ikaina igĩtũrũhaga.
12 They take up the timbrel and the lyre, and they rejoice at the sound of the organ.
Nao o ene mainaga makĩhũũraga tũhembe na inanda cia mũgeeto; mekenagia na mũgambo wa mũtũrirũ.
Matũũraga mĩaka yao magaacĩire, na magathiĩ mbĩrĩra-inĩ marĩ na thayũ. (Sheol h7585)
14 Who has said to God, “Depart from us, for we do not want the knowledge of your ways.
Na no-o meeraga Mũrungu atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ! Tigana na ithuĩ! Tũtikwenda kũmenya njĩra ciaku.
15 Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And how is it helpful to us if we pray to him?”
Mwene-Hinya-Wothe nĩwe ũ, atĩ nĩguo tũmũtungatagĩre? Tũkũgunĩka nakĩ tũngĩmũhooya?’
16 It is true that their good things are not in their power. May the counsel of the impious be 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 often will the lamp of the wicked be extinguished, and a deluge overtake them, and how often will he distribute the afflictions of his wrath?
“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 They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters.
Nĩ maita maigana matuĩkaga ta nyeki nyũmũ ĩkũhurutwo nĩ rũhuho, o na kana ta maragara marĩa mombũragwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio?
19 God will preserve the grief of the father for his sons, and, when he repays, then he will understand.
Kuugagwo atĩrĩ, ‘Ngai aigagĩra ciana iherithia rĩa ithe wao.’ No rĩrĩ, nĩ kaba Ngai aherithie mũndũ ũcio we mwene, nĩguo amenye nĩehĩtie!
20 His eyes will see his own destruction, and he will drink from the wrath of the Almighty.
Maitho make nĩmeyonere mwanangĩko wake mwene; nĩarekwo akunde mangʼũrĩ ma Mwene-Hinya-Wothe.
21 For what does he care what happens to his house after him, or if the number of its months are reduced by half?
Nĩ ũndũ-rĩ, anga no eetangaga ha ũhoro wa andũ ake arĩa agaatiga na thuutha, matukũ make maathira?
22 Can anyone teach holy knowledge to God, who judges the exalted?
“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 This one dies strong and healthy, rich and happy.
Nĩ kũrĩ mũndũ ũkuuaga arĩ na hinya wake wothe, arĩ mũgitĩre wega biũ, na arĩ na thayũ,
24 His gut is full of fat and his bones are moistened with marrow.
mwĩrĩ wake ũheetwo irio wega, na mahĩndĩ ma mĩthiimo yake marĩ o maigũ.
25 In truth, another dies in bitterness of soul, without any resources.
Mũndũ ũngĩ agakua arĩ na marũrũ ma ngoro, atarĩ aakenera kĩndũ kĩega o na kĩ.
26 And yet they will sleep together in the dust, and worms will cover them.
Makomaga o ro ũndũ ũmwe tĩĩri-inĩ, na eerĩ-rĩ, igunyũ ikamahumbĩra.
27 Surely, I know your thoughts and your sinful judgments 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 are the tabernacles of the impious?”
Mũrooria atĩrĩ, ‘Rĩu nyũmba ya mũndũ ũrĩa mũnene ĩkĩrĩ ha, na hema ĩrĩa andũ aaganu maratũũraga-rĩ, ĩkĩrĩ ha?’
29 Ask any passerby whom you wish, and you will realize that he understands these same things:
Kaĩ mũtarĩ muoria andũ arĩa mathiiaga ngʼendo? Kaĩ mũtarũmbũyagia ũrĩa mamwĩraga:
30 that the evil-doer is reserved for the day of destruction, and he will be led to the day of wrath.
atĩ mũndũ ũrĩa mwaganu nĩ aiguagĩrwo tha mũthenya wa mũtino, atĩ nĩahonokagio mũthenya wa mangʼũrĩ?
31 Who will reprove his way to his face, and who will repay him for what he has done?
Nũũ ũreganaga na mĩtugo ya mũndũ mwaganu maitho-inĩ make? Nũũ ũmũrĩhagia kũringana na maũndũ marĩa aaneka?
32 He will be led to the tomb, and he will remain awake in the chaos of the dead.
Atwaragwo mbĩrĩra-inĩ, nayo mbĩrĩra yake ĩkarangagĩrwo.
33 He has been found acceptable to the banks of the River of Lamentation, and he will draw any man towards him, and there are countless before him.
Tĩĩri wa gĩtuamba nĩũrĩ mũrĩo harĩ we; andũ othe nĩwe marũmagĩrĩra, na kĩrĩndĩ gĩtangĩtarĩka gĩgathiiaga mbere yake.
34 Therefore, how long will you console me in vain, when your answer is shown to be repugnant to truth?
“Mwakĩhota atĩa kũũhooreria na ndeto cia tũhũ? Hatirĩ kĩndũ gĩtigaru harĩ macookio manyu tiga o maheeni!”
