Job 22
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Ndipo Elifazi Mtemani akajibu:
2 Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
“Je, mwanadamu aweza kuwa wa faida kwa Mungu? Je, hata mtu mwenye hekima aweza kumfaidi?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Je, Mwenyezi angefurahia nini kama ungekuwa mwadilifu? Au je, yeye angepata faida gani kama njia zako zingekuwa kamilifu?
4 Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
“Je, ni kwa ajili ya utaua wako ndiyo maana anakukemea na kuleta mashtaka dhidi yako?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?
Je, uovu wako si mkuu? Dhambi zako si hazina mwisho?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.
Umedai dhamana kwa ndugu zako bila sababu; umewavua watu nguo zao, ukawaacha uchi.
7 Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Hukumpa maji aliyechoka, nawe ulimnyima chakula mwenye njaa,
8 But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.
ingawa ulikuwa mtu mwenye uwezo ukimiliki nchi: mtu uliyeheshimiwa, ukiishi ndani yake.
9 Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Umewafukuza wajane mikono mitupu na kuzivunja nguvu za yatima.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Ndiyo sababu mitego imekuzunguka pande zote, hatari ya ghafula inakutia hofu,
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.
ndiyo sababu ni giza sana huwezi kuona, tena ndiyo sababu mafuriko ya maji yamekufunika.
12 Is not God in the height of the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!
“Je, Mungu hayuko katika mbingu za juu? Juu kuliko nyota zilizo juu sana!
13 And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?
Hivyo wewe wasema, ‘Mungu anajua nini?’ Je, yeye huhukumu katika giza kama hilo?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh on the vault of the heavens.
Mawingu mazito ni pazia lake, hivyo hatuoni sisi atembeapo juu ya anga la dunia.
15 Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?
Je, utaifuata njia ya zamani, ambayo watu waovu waliikanyaga?
16 Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;
Waliondolewa kabla ya wakati wao, misingi yao ikachukuliwa na mafuriko.
17 Who said unto God, Depart from us! and what could the Almighty do to them?
Walimwambia Mungu, ‘Tuache sisi! Huyo Mwenyezi aweza kutufanyia nini?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lakini ndiye alizijaza nyumba zao na vitu vizuri, hivyo ninajitenga mbali na mashauri ya waovu.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
“Wenye haki wanaona maangamizi yao na kufurahi, nao wasio na hatia huwadhihaki, wakisema,
20 Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
‘Hakika adui zetu wameangamizwa, nao moto umeteketeza mali zao.’
21 Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
“Mjue sana Mungu ili uwe na amani, ndipo mema yatakapokujia.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
Uyapokee mafundisho toka kinywani mwake, na maneno yake uyaweke moyoni mwako.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,
Kama ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utarudishwa upya: Kama ukiuondoa uovu uwe mbali na hema lako,
24 And put the precious ore with the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the torrents,
kama dhahabu yako ukiihesabu kama mavumbi, dhahabu yako ya Ofiri kama miamba ya mabondeni,
25 Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;
ndipo Mwenyezi atakuwa dhahabu yako, naye atakuwa fedha yako iliyo bora.
26 Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:
Hakika ndipo utakapojifurahisha kwa Mwenyezi, nawe utamwinulia Mungu uso wako.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
Utamwomba yeye, naye atakusikia, nawe utazitimiza nadhiri zako.
28 And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.
Utakusudia jambo nalo litatendeka, nao mwanga utaangazia njia zako.
29 When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.
Watu watakaposhushwa, nawe ukasema, ‘Wainue!’ ndipo atamwokoa aliyevunjika moyo.
30 [Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
Atamwokoa hata yule ambaye ana hatia, ataokolewa kwa sababu ya usafi wa mikono yako.”
