Ayubu 22
1 Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia atĩrĩ:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
2 “Mũndũ aahota kũguna Mũrungu? O na mũndũ mũũgĩ-rĩ, akĩhota kũmũguna?
“How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
3 Nĩ gĩkeno kĩrĩkũ ũthingu waku ũngĩrehere Mwene-Hinya-Wothe? Nĩ uumithio ũrĩkũ angĩgĩa naguo angĩkorwo mĩthiĩre yaku ndĩrĩ ũcuuke?
Is it any benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
4 “Arakũrũithia na agagũthitanga nĩ ũndũ wa wĩtigĩri Ngai waku?
Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
5 Githĩ waganu waku ti mũnene? Mehia maku-rĩ, makĩrĩ mũthia?
No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
6 Wetirie ũgitĩri kuuma kũrĩ ariũ a thoguo hatarĩ gĩtũmi; nĩwaũrire andũ nguo, ũkĩmatiga njaga.
For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
7 Arĩa anogu ndwamaheire maaĩ, na nĩwaimire arĩa ahũtu irio,
You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
8 o na gũtuĩka warĩ mũndũ ũrĩ hinya, ũrĩ na mĩgũnda: mũndũ ũheetwo gĩtĩĩo, na watũũraga kuo.
Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
9 Nĩwaingatire atumia a ndigwa matarĩ na kĩndũ, na ũkĩniina hinya wa arĩa matarĩ na maithe.
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
10 Nĩkĩo ũthiũrũrũkĩirio nĩ mĩtego, nĩkĩo thĩĩna wa narua ũkũmakagia,
That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
11 nĩkĩo ũtumanĩirwo nĩ nduma, ũkaremwo nĩkuona, na nokĩo mũiyũro wa maaĩ ũkũhubanĩirie.
That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
12 “Githĩ Ngai ndarĩ o kũu igũrũ o igũrũ? O na ta kĩone ũrĩa njata iria irĩ igũrũ mũno itũũgĩrĩte!
Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
13 No rĩrĩ, wee ũroiga atĩrĩ, ‘Mũrungu nĩ atĩa angĩmenya? No atuanĩre ciira nduma-inĩ ta ĩno?
But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
14 Matu matumanu nĩmamũhumbĩrĩte, nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndangĩtuona rĩrĩa egũceera kũu igũrũ gacũmbĩrĩ.’
Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
15 Ũgũtũũra ũgeraga o njĩra ya tene ĩrĩa andũ aaganu managerera?
Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
16 Nĩmahuririo ihinda rĩao rĩtanakinya, mĩthingi yao ĩgĩthererio nĩ mũiyũro wa maaĩ.
They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
17 Nao meerire Mũrungu atĩrĩ, ‘Tigana na ithuĩ! Mwene-Hinya-Wothe-rĩ, angĩtwĩka atĩa?’
They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 No rĩrĩ, nĩwe waiyũririe nyũmba ciao na indo njega, nĩ ũndũ ũcio niĩ njikaraga haraaya na kĩrĩra kĩa andũ arĩa aaganu.
And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
19 “Andũ arĩa athingu nĩmeyonagĩra mwanangĩko wa acio aaganu, magakena; arĩa matarĩ na ũũru mekĩte mamanyũrũragia makiugaga atĩrĩ:
Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
20 ‘Ti-itherũ thũ ciitũ nĩnyanange, mwaki nĩũcinĩte ũtonga wao.’
saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
21 “Athĩkĩra Ngai ũikare ũrĩ na thayũ nake, ũndũ ũyũ nĩguo ũgaakũrehere ũgaacĩru.
Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
22 Ĩtĩkĩra ũrutani wa kanua gake, na ũige ciugo ciake ngoro-inĩ yaku.
Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
23 Ũngĩcookerera ũcio Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, nĩegũkwamũkĩra; ũngĩeheria waganu kũraya na hema yaku,
If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
24 na ũte ngũmba ciaku cia thahabu rũkũngũ-inĩ, na thahabu yaku ya Ofiri ũmĩte na kũu ndwaro-inĩ cia mahiga kũu mũkuru-inĩ,
and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
25 hĩndĩ ĩyo ũcio Mwene-Hinya-Wothe agaatuĩka thahabu yaku, na atuĩke betha ĩrĩa njega mũno harĩ we.
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
26 Ti-itherũ, hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩũkona gĩkeno thĩinĩ wa ũcio Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, na nĩũgatiirĩra Ngai ũthiũ waku.
Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
27 Nĩũkamũhooya, nake nĩagakũigua, nawe nĩũkahingia mĩĩhĩtwa yaku.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
28 Ũrĩa watua wĩkwo nĩguo ũrĩkagwo, naguo ũtheri nĩ ũkaara njĩra-inĩ ciaku.
Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
29 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ angĩ manyiihio, nawe ũkoiga, ‘Nĩmatũũgĩrio!’ Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩakahonokia arĩa makuĩte ngoro.
When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
30 Nĩakahonokia o na ũrĩa ũrĩ na ũcuuke, ahonokio nĩ ũndũ wa ũtheru wa moko maku.”
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
