Job 17
1 “My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
“Mtima wanga wasweka, masiku anga atha, manda akundidikira.
2 Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
Ndithudi, anthu ondiseka andizungulira; maso anga akupenyetsetsa mdani wanga.
3 “God, [it is as though I am in prison; ] please pay the money in order that I may be released, because there is certainly no one else who will help me.
“Inu Mulungu, patseni chikole chimene mukufuna. Ndani wina amene adzandiperekera ine chikole?
4 You have prevented my friends from understanding [what is true about me]; do not allow them to triumph over me, [saying that I have done things that are wrong].
Inu mwatseka maganizo awo kuti asamvetse zinthu; choncho simudzawalola kuti apambane.
5 [Our ancestors often said, ‘It often happens that] when someone betrays his friends in order to get some of their property, it is that person’s children who will be punished for it;’ [so I desire/hope that will be true of these friends of mine who are lying about me].
Ngati munthu apereka mnzake chifukwa cha chuma, ana ake sadzaona mwayi.
6 “But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
“Mulungu wandisandutsa chisudzo chochiseka aliyense, munthu amene anthu amalavulira malovu nkhope yake.
7 (My sight has become dim/I cannot see well) because I am extremely sad, and my arms and legs are [very thin, with the result that they almost do not cast] [MET] a shadow.
Mʼmaso mwanga mwada ndi chisoni; ndawonda ndi mutu womwe.
8 Those who [say that they] are good/righteous are shocked [when they see what has happened to me], and people who [say that they] (are innocent/have not done anything that is wrong) say that I am wicked/godless and should be punished.
Anthu olungama akudabwa nazo zimenezi; anthu osachimwa akupsera mtima anthu osapembedza Mulungu.
9 Those who [claim that they] are righteous will continue to do what [they think] is right, and those [who say] they have not sinned will continue to become stronger.
Komabe anthu olungama adzasunga njira zawo, ndipo anthu a makhalidwe abwino mphamvu zawo zidzanka zikuchuluka.
10 “But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
“Tsono bwerani nonsenu, bwerezaninso mawu anuwo, sindidzapezapo munthu wanzeru pakati panupo.
11 My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have not been able to do the things that I confidently expected to do; [I have not been able to accomplish] anything that I [SYN] desired.
Masiku anga atha, zimene ndinakonza zalephereka, pamodzinso ndi zokhumba za mtima wanga.
12 My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.
Anthu awa amasandutsa usiku kukhala usana, nthawi ya usiku iwo amati ‘kwatsala pangʼono kucha.’
13 If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
Ngati nyumba imene ndikuyiyembekezera ndi manda, ngati ndiyala bedi langa mu mdima, (Sheol h7585)
14 I may say to the grave, ‘You will be [like] a father to me,’ and say to the maggots [that will eat my body], ‘You will be [like] a mother or younger sisters to me [because you will be where I will always be].’
ngati ndinena kwa dzenje la manda ‘ndinu abambo anga,’ ndiponso kwa mphutsi kuti, ‘ndinu amayi anga’ kapena ‘mlongo wanga,’
15 But if I say those things, (will there be anything good that I can confidently expect to happen to me?/there will be nothing good that I can confidently expect to happen to me.) [RHQ] (Is there anyone who knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave?/No one knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave.) [RHQ]
tsono chiyembekezo changa chili kuti? Ndani angaone populumukira panga?
16 After I descend to the place where the dead are, (will I be able to confidently expect anything good there?/I certainly will not be able to confidently expect anything good there.) [RHQ] [It will be as though] [RHQ] I and the things I hope for will descend with me into the dust [where the dead are].” (Sheol h7585)
Ndithu sindidzakhalanso ndi chiyembekezo chilichonse, polowa mʼmanda, pamene ndidzatsikira ku fumbi.” (Sheol h7585)
