< Ayubu 4 >

1 Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered Job.
2 “Mũndũ angĩgeria gũkũgwetera koigo kamwe-rĩ, hihi wamũkirĩrĩria? No rĩrĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kwĩgirĩrĩria kwaria?
“Could I say a word? I don't want to upset you but who could keep quiet and not respond?
3 Ririkana ũrĩa wanataara andũ aingĩ, na ũrĩa wanekĩra moko marĩa maregeru hinya.
You've certainly encouraged many people and supported those who are weak.
4 Ciugo ciaku cianatiirĩrĩra arĩa manahĩngwo makenda kũgũa; nĩwe wanekĩra maru marĩa magondoku hinya.
Your advice has helped those who are stumbling not to fall, and you have strengthened those whose knees are weak.
5 No rĩu-rĩ, nĩũkoretwo nĩ thĩĩna, nawe ũkoorwo nĩ hinya; ũhũũrĩtwo, nawe ũkanyiitwo nĩ kĩmako.
But now you're the one suffering and you're upset.
6 Githĩ wĩtigĩri Ngai waku tiguo wagĩrĩirwo gũtuĩka ũũmĩrĩru waku, nayo mĩthiĩre yaku ĩtarĩ ũcuuke-rĩ, githĩ tiyo mwĩhoko waku?
Wasn't it your reverence for God that gave you confidence and your integrity that gave you hope?
7 “Ta wĩcũũranie atĩrĩ: Nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ wanathĩĩnĩka atekĩte ũũru? Nĩ kũ andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru marĩ maniinwo?
Think about it: since when did the innocent die? Since when were good people destroyed?
8 Niĩ ũrĩa nyonete-rĩ, nĩ atĩ andũ arĩa marĩmaga ũũru, na arĩa mahaandaga thĩĩna-rĩ, maũndũ macio no mo magethaga.
From what I've seen it's those who plant evil and sow trouble who reap the same!
9 Manangagwo nĩ mĩhũmũ ya Ngai; makaniinwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio kĩa marakara make.
A breath from God destroys them; a blast of his anger wipes them out.
10 Mĩrũũthi no ĩrume na ĩrarame, no magego ma mĩrũũthi ĩyo mĩnene nĩmakoinangwo.
Lions may roar and growl, but their teeth still break.
11 Mũrũũthi nĩũkuaga nĩ kwaga gĩa kũguĩma, nacio ciana cia mũrũũthi wa mũgoma ikahurunjũka.
Even a lion dies from lack of food, and the lioness' cubs are scattered.
12 “Nĩ kũrĩ kohoro karanginyĩire na hitho, namo matũ makwa marakaigua gakĩhehanwo.
A word quietly crept up on me; a whisper reached my ear.
13 Ũtukũ ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa cioneki cia kũmakania, ũtukũ rĩrĩa andũ makoragwo marĩ toro mũnene,
Troubling thoughts came to me in nightmares when you fall into a deep sleep.
14 ngĩnyiitwo nĩ guoya na kũinaina, namo mahĩndĩ makwa mothe magĩthingitha.
I became terrified and trembled; all my bones were shaking.
15 O hĩndĩ ĩyo roho ũraahĩtũkĩra o ũthiũ-inĩ wakwa, nacio njuĩrĩ cia mwĩrĩ wakwa irambarara.
Then a breath brushed my face and gave me goose-pimples.
16 Roho ũcio ũrarũgama, no ndinahota kũmenya ũrĩa ũratariĩ. Mbere yakwa hararũgama mũhianĩre wa kĩndũ, ndĩracooka ndĩraigua gũkĩario na mĩheehũ gũkĩũrio atĩrĩ,
Something stopped, but I couldn't see its face. My eyes could only make out a shape. It was totally quiet, and then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Mũndũ wa gũkua-rĩ, aahota gũtuĩka mũthingu gũkĩra Ngai? Mũndũ aahota gũtuĩka mũtheru gũkĩra Mũmũũmbi?
‘Can anyone be right before God? Can anyone be pure before their Maker?
18 Angĩkorwo Ngai ndangĩhota kwĩhoka ndungata ciake-rĩ, na angĩkorwo nĩonaga araika ake marĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ,
If he doesn't even trust his servants, and he says his angels make mistakes,
19 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!
how much more does this apply to those who live in these houses made of clay, whose foundations are based on dust, who fall apart like clothing to a moth?
20 Kuuma rũciinĩ nginya hwaĩ-inĩ moinangagwo tũcunjĩ; magathira tene na tene matekũrũmbũiyo.
Alive in the morning, they are dead by evening. They die, unnoticed.
21 Githĩ mĩkanda ya hema yao ndĩmunyũrĩtwo, nĩguo makue matarĩ na ũũgĩ?’
They are like tent ropes that are pulled up, and they collapse in death. They die without wisdom.’

< Ayubu 4 >