Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Ndipo Elifazi Mtemani akajibu:
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
“Je, mwanadamu aweza kuwa wa faida kwa Mungu? Je, hata mtu mwenye hekima aweza kumfaidi?
3 [Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or [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 reprove 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 infinite?
Je, uovu wako si mkuu? Dhambi zako si hazina mwisho?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Umedai dhamana kwa ndugu zako bila sababu; umewavua watu nguo zao, ukawaacha uchi.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Hukumpa maji aliyechoka, nawe ulimnyima chakula mwenye njaa,
8 But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
ingawa ulikuwa mtu mwenye uwezo ukimiliki nchi: mtu uliyeheshimiwa, ukiishi ndani yake.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, 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 abundance 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 heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
“Je, Mungu hayuko katika mbingu za juu? Juu kuliko nyota zilizo juu sana!
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can 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 in the circuit of heaven.
Mawingu mazito ni pazia lake, hivyo hatuoni sisi atembeapo juu ya anga la dunia.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Je, utaifuata njia ya zamani, ambayo watu waovu waliikanyaga?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Waliondolewa kabla ya wakati wao, misingi yao ikachukuliwa na mafuriko.
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Walimwambia Mungu, ‘Tuache sisi! Huyo Mwenyezi aweza kutufanyia nini?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good [things: ] 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 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
‘Hakika adui zetu wameangamizwa, nao moto umeteketeza mali zao.’
21 Acquaint now thyself 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, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
Uyapokee mafundisho toka kinywani mwake, na maneno yake uyaweke moyoni mwako.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Kama ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utarudishwa upya: Kama ukiuondoa uovu uwe mbali na hema lako,
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
kama dhahabu yako ukiihesabu kama mavumbi, dhahabu yako ya Ofiri kama miamba ya mabondeni,
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
ndipo Mwenyezi atakuwa dhahabu yako, naye atakuwa fedha yako iliyo bora.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight 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 shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Utamwomba yeye, naye atakusikia, nawe utazitimiza nadhiri zako.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Utakusudia jambo nalo litatendeka, nao mwanga utaangazia njia zako.
29 When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Watu watakaposhushwa, nawe ukasema, ‘Wainue!’ ndipo atamwokoa aliyevunjika moyo.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Atamwokoa hata yule ambaye ana hatia, ataokolewa kwa sababu ya usafi wa mikono yako.”
