< Job 4 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ:
2 If anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient? But who can stop himself from speaking?
“Mũndũ angĩgeria gũkũgwetera koigo kamwe-rĩ, hihi wamũkirĩrĩria? No rĩrĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kwĩgirĩrĩria kwaria?
3 See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.
Ririkana ũrĩa wanataara andũ aingĩ, na ũrĩa wanekĩra moko marĩa maregeru hinya.
4 Your words have supported him who was falling; you have made feeble knees firm.
Ciugo ciaku cianatiirĩrĩra arĩa manahĩngwo makenda kũgũa; nĩwe wanekĩra maru marĩa magondoku hinya.
5 But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.
No rĩu-rĩ, nĩũkoretwo nĩ thĩĩna, nawe ũkoorwo nĩ hinya; ũhũũrĩtwo, nawe ũkanyiitwo nĩ kĩmako.
6 Is not your fear your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Githĩ wĩtigĩri Ngai waku tiguo wagĩrĩirwo gũtuĩka ũũmĩrĩru waku, nayo mĩthiĩre yaku ĩtarĩ ũcuuke-rĩ, githĩ tiyo mwĩhoko waku?
7 Think about this, please: Who has ever perished when innocent? Or when were the upright people ever 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, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.
Niĩ ũrĩa nyonete-rĩ, nĩ atĩ andũ arĩa marĩmaga ũũru, na arĩa mahaandaga thĩĩna-rĩ, maũndũ macio no mo magethaga.
9 By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
Manangagwo nĩ mĩhũmũ ya Ngai; makaniinwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio kĩa marakara make.
10 The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions—they are broken.
Mĩrũũthi no ĩrume na ĩrarame, no magego ma mĩrũũthi ĩyo mĩnene nĩmakoinangwo.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.
Mũrũũthi nĩũkuaga nĩ kwaga gĩa kũguĩma, nacio ciana cia mũrũũthi wa mũgoma ikahurunjũka.
12 Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper about it.
“Nĩ kũrĩ kohoro karanginyĩire na hitho, namo matũ makwa marakaigua gakĩhehanwo.
13 Then came thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.
Ũtukũ ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa cioneki cia kũmakania, ũtukũ rĩrĩa andũ makoragwo marĩ toro mũnene,
14 It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me, and all my bones shook.
ngĩnyiitwo nĩ guoya na kũinaina, namo mahĩndĩ makwa mothe magĩthingitha.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.
O hĩndĩ ĩyo roho ũraahĩtũkĩra o ũthiũ-inĩ wakwa, nacio njuĩrĩ cia mwĩrĩ wakwa irambarara.
16 The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice that said,
Roho ũcio ũrarũgama, no ndinahota kũmenya ũrĩa ũratariĩ. Mbere yakwa hararũgama mũhianĩre wa kĩndũ, ndĩracooka ndĩraigua gũkĩario na mĩheehũ gũkĩũrio atĩrĩ,
17 “Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
‘Mũndũ wa gũkua-rĩ, aahota gũtuĩka mũthingu gũkĩra Ngai? Mũndũ aahota gũtuĩka mũtheru gũkĩra Mũmũũmbi?
18 See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,
Angĩkorwo Ngai ndangĩhota kwĩhoka ndungata ciake-rĩ, na angĩkorwo nĩonaga araika ake marĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ,
19 how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a 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 Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever without anyone noticing them.
Kuuma rũciinĩ nginya hwaĩ-inĩ moinangagwo tũcunjĩ; magathira tene na tene matekũrũmbũiyo.
21 Are not their tent cords plucked up among them? They die; they die without wisdom.
Githĩ mĩkanda ya hema yao ndĩmunyũrĩtwo, nĩguo makue matarĩ na ũũgĩ?’

< Job 4 >