< Job 31 >
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?
Nimefanya patano na macho yangu; ni kwa namna gani tena napaswa kumtazama mwanamwali kwa tamaa?
2 For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
Ni sehemu gani kutoka kwa Mungu juu, na urithi gani kutoka kwake mwenye nguvu aliye juu?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
Nilikuwa nafikiri kwamba majanga ni kwa watu wasio na haki, na misiba ni kwa ajili ya watu watendao mabaya.
4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
Je Mungu hazioni njia zangu na kuzihesabu hatua zangu zote?
5 If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,
Kama nimetembea katika udanganyifu, kama mguu wangu umeharakisha katika uongo,
6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )
na nipimwe katika vipimo vilivyo sawa ili kwamba Mungu aujue uadilifu wangu.
7 If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;
Kama hatua zangu zimegeuka kutoka katika njia sahihi, kama moyo wangu umetembea kwa kufuata macho yangu, na kama doa lolote la uchafu limeng'ang'ania katika mikono yangu,
8 Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
na kisha mimi nipande na mtu mwingine na ale; mavuno na yang'olewe katika shamba langu.
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
Na kama moyo wangu umevutiwa na mwanamke mwingine, ikiwa nimelala na mke wa jirani yangu katika hali ya kusubiria katika mlango wake,
10 Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.
na ndipo mke wangu na asage nafaka kwa mwanaume mwingine, na wanaume wengine na walale naye.
11 For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
Na kwa hilo litakuwa ni kosa kubwa; kwa kweli, utakuwa ni uovu wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Kwa kuwa ni moto ambao unateketeza kila kitu kwa uharibifu, na kwamba utaunguza mavuno yangu yote.
13 If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
Ikiwa nilikataa ombi la haki kutoka kwa watumishi wangu wa kiume na wa kike wakati walipohojiana nami,
14 What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?
kisha nini basi ningefanya wakati Mungu anapoinuka ili kunishitaki mimi? Atakapokuja kunihukumu, nitamjibuje?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?
Je yeye aliyenifanya mimi tumboni hakuwafanya wao pia? Je yeye si yeye yule aliyetuumba sisi wote katika tumbo?
16 If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
kama nimewanyima watu masikini matakwa yao, au kama nimesababisha macho ya wajane yafifie kwa kulia,
17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,
au ikiwa kama nimekula kipande changu na sijawaruhusu wale wasio na baba kukila pia -
18 (For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )
kwasababu tangu ujana wangu yatima walikua pamoja nami kama kuwa na baba, nami nimemwongoza mama yake, mjane, tangu katika tumbo la mama yangu mwenyewe.
19 If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;
ikiwa nimemwona yeyote akiangamia kwa kwa kukosa mavazi, au kama nimemwona mtu mhitaji akiwa hana nguo;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
ikiwa moyo wake haujanibariki kwasababu amekuwa hajatiwa joto na sufu ya kondoo zangu,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
ikiwa nimeinua juu mkono wangu kinyume na watu wasio na baba kwa kuwa niliona msaada wangu katika lango la mji, na kisha kuleta mashitaka dhidi yangu.
22 [Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
Ndipo bega langu na lianguake kutoka katika sehemu yake, na mkono wangu uvunjike katika kiungo chake.
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
Kwa kuwa niliogopa uharibifu kutoka kwa Mungu; kwasababu ya mawazo ya ukuu wake, nisingeweza kufanya mambo hayo.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
Kama ningeifanya dhahabu kuwa tumaini langu, na kama ningesema kwa dhahabu safi, 'wewe unanifanya kuwa na tumaini';
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
na kama nimefurahi kwasababu ya utajiri wangu ulikuwa mkubwa, kwa kuwa mkono wangu umepata mali nyingi, na kisha kuleta mashitaka dhidi yangu!
26 If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
Ikiwa nimeliona jua lilipowaka, au mwezi ukitembea katika mng'ao wake,
27 And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
na kama moyo wangu umevutwa kwa siri, ili kwamba mdomo wangu umeubusu mkono wangu katika ibada yao -
28 This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
hili nalo pia lingekuwa ni ubaya wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi, kwa kuwa ningekuwa nimemkana Mungu aliyejuu.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
Ikiwa nimefurahia uharibifu wa yeyote ambaye ananichukia mimi, au kuwapa hongera wakati majanga yanapowapata, ndipo ulete mashitaka dhidi yangu!
30 (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
Kwa kweli sijauruhusu hata mdomo wangu kutenda dhambi kwa kuuomba uhai wake kwa laana.
31 If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —
Ikiwa watu wa hema yangu hawajasema,' Nani aweza kumpata mtu ambaye hayashibishwa na chakula cha Ayubu?
32 The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
(hata mgeni hajawahi kukaa katika pembe ya mji, kwa kuwa siku zote nimefungua milango yangu kwa ajili ya wasafiri), na kama haiko hivyo, ndipo mlete mashitaka kinyume nami!
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
Ikiwa, kama binadamu nimezificha dhambi zangu kwa kuficha hatia ndani ya kanzu yangu -
34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...
kwa kuwa niliogopa kusanyiko kubwa, kwasababu ya matwezo ya familia yaliniogopesha, hivyo basi nilinyamaza kimya na sikuweza kwenda nje, basi nileteni mashitaka dhidi yangu!
35 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
Ee, kama nilikuwa na mtu wa kunisikiliza! Ona, hii ni saini yangu; na Mwenye nguvu na anijibu! Ikiwa nilikuwa na shitaka rasmi ambalo adui yangu ameliandika!
36 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
Hakika ningelibeba hadharani juu ya bega langu; ningeliweka juu kama taji.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.
Ningemweleza hesabu ya hatua zangu; na kama mwana wa mfalme mwenye kujiamini ningepanda kwenda kwake.
38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;
Kama nchi yangu ingelia dhidi yangu, na matuta yake yaomboleza pamoja,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:
ikiwa nimekula mavuno yake bila kulipia au kama nimesababisha wamiliki wake kupoteza maisha yao,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
ndipo miiba na iote badala ya ngano na magugu badala ya shayiri.” Maneno ya Ayubu yamemalizika.