Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Ndipo Elifazi Mtemani akajibu:
2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
“Je, mwanadamu aweza kuwa wa faida kwa Mungu? Je, hata mtu mwenye hekima aweza kumfaidi?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
Je, Mwenyezi angefurahia nini kama ungekuwa mwadilifu? Au je, yeye angepata faida gani kama njia zako zingekuwa kamilifu?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
“Je, ni kwa ajili ya utaua wako ndiyo maana anakukemea na kuleta mashtaka dhidi yako?
5 Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Je, uovu wako si mkuu? Dhambi zako si hazina mwisho?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Umedai dhamana kwa ndugu zako bila sababu; umewavua watu nguo zao, ukawaacha uchi.
7 You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
Hukumpa maji aliyechoka, nawe ulimnyima chakula mwenye njaa,
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
ingawa ulikuwa mtu mwenye uwezo ukimiliki nchi: mtu uliyeheshimiwa, ukiishi ndani yake.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Umewafukuza wajane mikono mitupu na kuzivunja nguvu za yatima.
10 Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
Ndiyo sababu mitego imekuzunguka pande zote, hatari ya ghafula inakutia hofu,
11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
ndiyo sababu ni giza sana huwezi kuona, tena ndiyo sababu mafuriko ya maji yamekufunika.
12 “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
“Je, Mungu hayuko katika mbingu za juu? Juu kuliko nyota zilizo juu sana!
13 You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
Hivyo wewe wasema, ‘Mungu anajua nini?’ Je, yeye huhukumu katika giza kama hilo?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
Mawingu mazito ni pazia lake, hivyo hatuoni sisi atembeapo juu ya anga la dunia.
15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
Je, utaifuata njia ya zamani, ambayo watu waovu waliikanyaga?
16 who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
Waliondolewa kabla ya wakati wao, misingi yao ikachukuliwa na mafuriko.
17 who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
Walimwambia Mungu, ‘Tuache sisi! Huyo Mwenyezi aweza kutufanyia nini?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lakini ndiye alizijaza nyumba zao na vitu vizuri, hivyo ninajitenga mbali na mashauri ya waovu.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
“Wenye haki wanaona maangamizi yao na kufurahi, nao wasio na hatia huwadhihaki, wakisema,
20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
‘Hakika adui zetu wameangamizwa, nao moto umeteketeza mali zao.’
21 “Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
“Mjue sana Mungu ili uwe na amani, ndipo mema yatakapokujia.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Uyapokee mafundisho toka kinywani mwake, na maneno yake uyaweke moyoni mwako.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
Kama ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utarudishwa upya: Kama ukiuondoa uovu uwe mbali na hema lako,
24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
kama dhahabu yako ukiihesabu kama mavumbi, dhahabu yako ya Ofiri kama miamba ya mabondeni,
25 The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
ndipo Mwenyezi atakuwa dhahabu yako, naye atakuwa fedha yako iliyo bora.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
Hakika ndipo utakapojifurahisha kwa Mwenyezi, nawe utamwinulia Mungu uso wako.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
Utamwomba yeye, naye atakusikia, nawe utazitimiza nadhiri zako.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
Utakusudia jambo nalo litatendeka, nao mwanga utaangazia njia zako.
29 When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
Watu watakaposhushwa, nawe ukasema, ‘Wainue!’ ndipo atamwokoa aliyevunjika moyo.
30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Atamwokoa hata yule ambaye ana hatia, ataokolewa kwa sababu ya usafi wa mikono yako.”
