Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:
Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ:
2 If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill, but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?
“Mũndũ angĩgeria gũkũgwetera koigo kamwe-rĩ, hihi wamũkirĩrĩria? No rĩrĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kwĩgirĩrĩria kwaria?
3 Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:
Ririkana ũrĩa wanataara andũ aingĩ, na ũrĩa wanekĩra moko marĩa maregeru hinya.
4 Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:
Ciugo ciaku cianatiirĩrĩra arĩa manahĩngwo makenda kũgũa; nĩwe wanekĩra maru marĩa magondoku hinya.
5 But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.
No rĩu-rĩ, nĩũkoretwo nĩ thĩĩna, nawe ũkoorwo nĩ hinya; ũhũũrĩtwo, nawe ũkanyiitwo nĩ kĩmako.
6 Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?
Githĩ wĩtigĩri Ngai waku tiguo wagĩrĩirwo gũtuĩka ũũmĩrĩru waku, nayo mĩthiĩre yaku ĩtarĩ ũcuuke-rĩ, githĩ tiyo mwĩhoko waku?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?
“Ta wĩcũũranie atĩrĩ: Nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ wanathĩĩnĩka atekĩte ũũru? Nĩ kũ andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru marĩ maniinwo?
8 On the contrary I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,
Niĩ ũrĩa nyonete-rĩ, nĩ atĩ andũ arĩa marĩmaga ũũru, na arĩa mahaandaga thĩĩna-rĩ, maũndũ macio no mo magethaga.
9 Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.
Manangagwo nĩ mĩhũmũ ya Ngai; makaniinwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio kĩa marakara make.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken:
Mĩrũũthi no ĩrume na ĩrarame, no magego ma mĩrũũthi ĩyo mĩnene nĩmakoinangwo.
11 The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.
Mũrũũthi nĩũkuaga nĩ kwaga gĩa kũguĩma, nacio ciana cia mũrũũthi wa mũgoma ikahurunjũka.
12 Now there was a word spoken to me in private, and my ears by stealth as it were received the veins of its whisper.
“Nĩ kũrĩ kohoro karanginyĩire na hitho, namo matũ makwa marakaigua gakĩhehanwo.
13 In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to hold men,
Ũtukũ ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa cioneki cia kũmakania, ũtukũ rĩrĩa andũ makoragwo marĩ toro mũnene,
14 Fear seized upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were affrighted:
ngĩnyiitwo nĩ guoya na kũinaina, namo mahĩndĩ makwa mothe magĩthingitha.
15 And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.
O hĩndĩ ĩyo roho ũraahĩtũkĩra o ũthiũ-inĩ wakwa, nacio njuĩrĩ cia mwĩrĩ wakwa irambarara.
16 There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a gentle wind:
Roho ũcio ũrarũgama, no ndinahota kũmenya ũrĩa ũratariĩ. Mbere yakwa hararũgama mũhianĩre wa kĩndũ, ndĩracooka ndĩraigua gũkĩario na mĩheehũ gũkĩũrio atĩrĩ,
17 Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?
‘Mũndũ wa gũkua-rĩ, aahota gũtuĩka mũthingu gũkĩra Ngai? Mũndũ aahota gũtuĩka mũtheru gũkĩra Mũmũũmbi?
18 Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:
Angĩkorwo Ngai ndangĩhota kwĩhoka ndungata ciake-rĩ, na angĩkorwo nĩonaga araika ake marĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ,
19 How much more shall they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation, be consumed as with the moth?
githĩ to oone mahĩtia maingĩ mũno ma andũ arĩa matũũraga nyũmba cia ndoro, acio mĩthingi yao ĩrĩ rũkũngũ-inĩ, acio mamemendagwo na ihenya gũkĩra kĩĩhuruta!
20 From morning till evening they shall be cut down: and because no one understandeth, they shall perish for ever.
Kuuma rũciinĩ nginya hwaĩ-inĩ moinangagwo tũcunjĩ; magathira tene na tene matekũrũmbũiyo.
21 And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.
Githĩ mĩkanda ya hema yao ndĩmunyũrĩtwo, nĩguo makue matarĩ na ũũgĩ?’
