< Job 4 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ:
2 [If] we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
“Mũndũ angĩgeria gũkũgwetera koigo kamwe-rĩ, hihi wamũkirĩrĩria? No rĩrĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kwĩgirĩrĩria kwaria?
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Ririkana ũrĩa wanataara andũ aingĩ, na ũrĩa wanekĩra moko marĩa maregeru hinya.
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
Ciugo ciaku cianatiirĩrĩra arĩa manahĩngwo makenda kũgũa; nĩwe wanekĩra maru marĩa magondoku hinya.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
No rĩu-rĩ, nĩũkoretwo nĩ thĩĩna, nawe ũkoorwo nĩ hinya; ũhũũrĩtwo, nawe ũkanyiitwo nĩ kĩmako.
6 [Is] not [this] thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness 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 where were the righteous cut off?
“Ta wĩcũũranie atĩrĩ: Nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ wanathĩĩnĩka atekĩte ũũru? Nĩ kũ andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru marĩ maniinwo?
8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
Niĩ ũrĩa nyonete-rĩ, nĩ atĩ andũ arĩa marĩmaga ũũru, na arĩa mahaandaga thĩĩna-rĩ, maũndũ macio no mo magethaga.
9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
Manangagwo nĩ mĩhũmũ ya Ngai; makaniinwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio kĩa marakara make.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
Mĩrũũthi no ĩrume na ĩrarame, no magego ma mĩrũũthi ĩyo mĩnene nĩmakoinangwo.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.
Mũrũũthi nĩũkuaga nĩ kwaga gĩa kũguĩma, nacio ciana cia mũrũũthi wa mũgoma ikahurunjũka.
12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
“Nĩ kũrĩ kohoro karanginyĩire na hitho, namo matũ makwa marakaigua gakĩhehanwo.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
Ũtukũ ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa cioneki cia kũmakania, ũtukũ rĩrĩa andũ makoragwo marĩ toro mũnene,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
ngĩnyiitwo nĩ guoya na kũinaina, namo mahĩndĩ makwa mothe magĩthingitha.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
O hĩndĩ ĩyo roho ũraahĩtũkĩra o ũthiũ-inĩ wakwa, nacio njuĩrĩ cia mwĩrĩ wakwa irambarara.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image [was] before mine eyes, [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying],
Roho ũcio ũrarũgama, no ndinahota kũmenya ũrĩa ũratariĩ. Mbere yakwa hararũgama mũhianĩre wa kĩndũ, ndĩracooka ndĩraigua gũkĩario na mĩheehũ gũkĩũrio atĩrĩ,
17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? 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, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
Angĩkorwo Ngai ndangĩhota kwĩhoka ndungata ciake-rĩ, na angĩkorwo nĩonaga araika ake marĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ,
19 How much less [in] them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [which] are crushed before 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 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding [it].
Kuuma rũciinĩ nginya hwaĩ-inĩ moinangagwo tũcunjĩ; magathira tene na tene matekũrũmbũiyo.
21 Doth not their excellency [which is] in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
Githĩ mĩkanda ya hema yao ndĩmunyũrĩtwo, nĩguo makue matarĩ na ũũgĩ?’

< Job 4 >