Job 4
1 Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ:
2 If one attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?
“Mũndũ angĩgeria gũkũgwetera koigo kamwe-rĩ, hihi wamũkirĩrĩria? No rĩrĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kwĩgirĩrĩria kwaria?
3 Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;
Ririkana ũrĩa wanataara andũ aingĩ, na ũrĩa wanekĩra moko marĩa maregeru hinya.
4 Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to 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 confounded!
No rĩu-rĩ, nĩũkoretwo nĩ thĩĩna, nawe ũkoorwo nĩ hinya; ũhũũrĩtwo, nawe ũkanyiitwo nĩ kĩmako.
6 Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?
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 have the righteous been cut off?
“Ta wĩcũũranie atĩrĩ: Nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ wanathĩĩnĩka atekĩte ũũru? Nĩ kũ andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru marĩ maniinwo?
8 According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, 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 they are 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 fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
Mũrũũthi nĩũkuaga nĩ kwaga gĩa kũguĩma, nacio ciana cia mũrũũthi wa mũgoma ikahurunjũka.
12 A word was once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.
“Nĩ kũrĩ kohoro karanginyĩire na hitho, namo matũ makwa marakaigua gakĩhehanwo.
13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,
Ũtukũ ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa cioneki cia kũmakania, ũtukũ rĩrĩa andũ makoragwo marĩ toro mũnene,
14 A fear and a horror came upon me, 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 rose on end;
O hĩndĩ ĩyo roho ũraahĩtũkĩra o ũthiũ-inĩ wakwa, nacio njuĩrĩ cia mwĩrĩ wakwa irambarara.
16 It stood still, but its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:
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 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 putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.
Angĩkorwo Ngai ndangĩhota kwĩhoka ndungata ciake-rĩ, na angĩkorwo nĩonaga araika ake marĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ,
19 What then are they who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!
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 Between morning and evening are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.
Kuuma rũciinĩ nginya hwaĩ-inĩ moinangagwo tũcunjĩ; magathira tene na tene matekũrũmbũiyo.
21 The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”
Githĩ mĩkanda ya hema yao ndĩmunyũrĩtwo, nĩguo makue matarĩ na ũũgĩ?’
