Job 31
1 A covenant, I solemnised for mine eyes, —How then could I gaze upon a virgin?
“Nimefanya agano na macho yangu yasimtazame msichana kwa kumtamani.
2 Or what would have been my portion of GOD from above? Or what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Kwa kuwa fungu la mwanadamu ni gani kutoka kwa Mungu juu, urithi wake kutoka kwa Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Aliye juu?
3 Is there not calamity, for the perverse? and misfortune, for the workers of iniquity?
Je, si uharibifu kwa watu waovu, maangamizi kwa wale watendao mabaya?
4 Would, he, not see my ways? and of all my steps, take account?
Je, yeye hazioni njia zangu na kuihesabu kila hatua yangu?
5 Verily I walked not in falsity, nor did my foot haste unto deceit: —
“Kama nimeishi katika uongo au mguu wangu umekimbilia udanganyifu,
6 Let him weigh me in balances of righteousness, —and let GOD take note of mine integrity!
Mungu na anipime katika mizani za uaminifu, naye atajua kwamba sina hatia:
7 If my goings have swerved from the way, —and, after mine eyes, hath gone my heart, and, to my hands, hath adhered any stain,
kama hatua zangu zimepotoka kutoka kwenye njia, kama moyo wangu umeongozwa na macho yangu, au kama mikono yangu imetiwa unajisi,
8 Let me sow but, another, eat. And let, what I have springing up, be uprooted!
basi wengine na wale nilichokipanda, nayo yale yote niliyootesha na yangʼolewe.
9 If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, or, by the door of my neighbour, I have lien in wait,
“Kama moyo wangu umeshawishiwa na mwanamke, au kama nimevizia mlangoni mwa jirani yangu,
10 Let my wife, grind to another, and, over her, let others bend!
basi mke wangu na asage nafaka ya mwanaume mwingine, nao wanaume wengine walale naye.
11 Surely that had been a shameful thing! and that an iniquity for the judges!
Kwa kuwa hilo lingekuwa aibu, naam, dhambi ya kuhukumiwa.
12 Surely, a fire, had that been, which, unto destruction, would have consumed, and, of all mine increase, had it torn up the root.
Ni moto uwakao kwa Uharibifu; ungekuwa umengʼoa mavuno yangu.
13 If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, when they contended with me,
“Kama ningewanyima haki watumishi wangu wanaume au vijakazi wangu, walipokuwa na manungʼuniko dhidi yangu,
14 What then could I have done when GOD rose up? And, when he visited, what could I have answered him?
nitafanya nini Mungu atakaponikabili? Nitamjibu nini nitakapoitwa kutoa hesabu?
15 Did not he who, in the womb, made me, make him? And is not he who formed us in the body one?
Je, yeye aliyeniumba tumboni mwa mama yangu, si ndiye aliwaumba? Je, si ni yeye huyo mmoja aliyetuumba sote ndani ya mama zetu?
16 If I withheld—from pleasure—the poor, or, the eyes of the widow, I dimmed;
“Ikiwa nimewanyima maskini haja zao, au kuyaacha macho ya wajane yadhoofike,
17 Or, used to eat my morsel alone, so that the fatherless did not eat thereof;
kama nimekula chakula changu mwenyewe, bila kuwashirikisha yatima;
18 Surely, from my youth, he grew up to me, as to a father, and, from my birth, I acted as guide to her:
lakini tangu ujana wangu nimemlea yatima kama ambavyo baba angefanya, nami tangu kuzaliwa kwangu nimewaongoza wajane:
19 If I saw one perishing for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
kama nilimwona yeyote akiteseka kwa kukosa nguo, au mtu mhitaji asiye na mavazi
20 If his loins did not bless me, or if, with the fleece of my lambs, he did not warm himself;
ambaye wala moyo wake haukunibariki kwa kumpatia joto kwa mavazi ya manyoya ya kondoo zangu,
21 If I shook—against the fatherless—my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,
na kama nimeinua mkono wangu dhidi ya yatima, nikijua kuwa nina ushawishi mahakamani,
22 Let, my shoulder, from the shoulder-blade, fall, and, my arm, from the upper bone, be broken;
basi mkono wangu na unyofoke toka begani mwangu, nao na uvunjike kutoka kiungio chake.
23 For, a dread unto me, was calamity from GOD, and, from his majesty, I could not escape.
Kwa kuwa niliogopa uharibifu kutoka kwa Mungu, nami kwa kuuogopa utukufu wake sikuweza kufanya mambo kama hayo.
24 If I made gold my stay, and, to precious metal, said, My confidence!
“Kama nimeweka tumaini langu kwenye dhahabu, au kuiambia dhahabu safi, ‘Wewe ndiwe salama yangu,’
25 If I rejoiced because great was my substance, and, an abundance, my hand had discovered;
kama nimefurahia wingi wa utajiri wangu, ustawi ambao mikono yangu ilikuwa imepata,
26 If I looked at the sun, when it flashed forth light, or at the moon, majestically marching along;
kama nimelitazama jua katika kungʼaa kwake au mwezi ukienda kwa fahari yake,
27 And befooled secretly was my heart, so that my hand kissed my mouth,
hivyo moyo wangu kushawishiwa kwa siri, au kubusu mkono wangu kwa kuviheshimu,
28 That too, had been a judicial iniquity, For I should have been false to GOD, above.
basi hiyo pia ingekuwa dhambi ya kuhukumiwa, kwa kuwa ningekuwa si mwaminifu kwa Mungu aishiye juu sana.
29 If rejoiced in the misfortune of him that hated me, or exulted when calamity found him; —
“Kama nimeshangilia msiba wa adui yangu, au kutazama kwa furaha taabu iliyomjia,
30 Neither did I suffer my palate to sin, by asking, with a curse, for his life:
lakini sikuruhusu kinywa changu kufanya dhambi kwa kuomba laana dhidi ya maisha yake;
31 If the men of my household have not said, Oh for some of his flesh—we cannot get filled,
kama watu wa nyumbani mwangu kamwe hawakusema, ‘Ni nani ambaye hajashibishwa na nyama ya Ayubu?’
32 Outside, the sojourner lodged not for the night, My doors—to the wayfarer, I threw open.
Lakini hakuna mgeni aliyelala njiani, kwa maana mlango wangu ulikuwa wazi kwa msafiri;
33 If I covered, like Adam, my transgressions, by hiding in my bosom mine iniquity,
kama nimeifunika dhambi yangu kama wanadamu wengine wafanyavyo, kwa kuficha hatia yangu moyoni mwangu,
34 Then let me be made to tremble at a great throng, yea let, the contempt of families, terrify me, so that, keeping silence, I shall not go out of the door!
kwa sababu ya kuogopa umati wa watu, na hivyo kuwa na hofu ya kudharauliwa na jamaa, nikanyamaza kimya nisitoke nje ya mlango:
35 Oh that I had one to hear me, Lo! my crossmark, May, the Almighty, answer me! And would that, a book, mine opponent had written!
(“Laiti kama angekuwepo mtu wa kunisikia! Tazama sasa ninatia sahihi kwenye utetezi wangu: Mwenyezi na anijibu; mshtaki wangu na aweke mashtaka yake kwenye maandishi.
36 Oh! would I not, upon my shoulder, lift it, or bind it as a crown upon me;
Hakika ningeyavaa begani mwangu, ningeyavaa kama taji.
37 The number of my footsteps, I would declare to him, Like a noble, would I draw near to him.
Ningempa hesabu ya kila hatua yangu, ningemwendea kama mwana wa mfalme.)
38 If, against me, my ground used to cry out, and, together, my ridges did weep;
“Kama nchi yangu inalia dhidi yangu, na mifereji yake yote imelowana kwa machozi,
39 If, the strength thereof, I used to eat, without payment, and, the soul of the holders thereof, I made groan;
kama nimekula mazao yake bila malipo, au kuvunja mioyo ya wapangaji wake,
40 Instead of wheat, let there come forth bramble, and, instead of barley, a bad-smelling weed! Ended are the words of Job.
basi miiba na iote badala ya ngano, na magugu badala ya shayiri.” Mwisho wa maneno ya Ayubu.
