Ayubu 4
1 Nake Elifazu ũrĩa Mũtemaani agĩcookia, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ:
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 “Mũndũ angĩgeria gũkũgwetera koigo kamwe-rĩ, hihi wamũkirĩrĩria? No rĩrĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kwĩgirĩrĩria kwaria?
If we essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?
3 Ririkana ũrĩa wanataara andũ aingĩ, na ũrĩa wanekĩra moko marĩa maregeru hinya.
Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.
4 Ciugo ciaku cianatiirĩrĩra arĩa manahĩngwo makenda kũgũa; nĩwe wanekĩra maru marĩa magondoku hinya.
Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.
5 No rĩu-rĩ, nĩũkoretwo nĩ thĩĩna, nawe ũkoorwo nĩ hinya; ũhũũrĩtwo, nawe ũkanyiitwo nĩ kĩmako.
Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.
6 Githĩ wĩtigĩri Ngai waku tiguo wagĩrĩirwo gũtuĩka ũũmĩrĩru waku, nayo mĩthiĩre yaku ĩtarĩ ũcuuke-rĩ, githĩ tiyo mwĩhoko waku?
Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity of thy ways?
7 “Ta wĩcũũranie atĩrĩ: Nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ wanathĩĩnĩka atekĩte ũũru? Nĩ kũ andũ arĩa arũngĩrĩru marĩ maniinwo?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous destroyed?
8 Niĩ ũrĩa nyonete-rĩ, nĩ atĩ andũ arĩa marĩmaga ũũru, na arĩa mahaandaga thĩĩna-rĩ, maũndũ macio no mo magethaga.
Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.
9 Manangagwo nĩ mĩhũmũ ya Ngai; makaniinwo nĩ kĩhuhũkanio kĩa marakara make.
Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.
10 Mĩrũũthi no ĩrume na ĩrarame, no magego ma mĩrũũthi ĩyo mĩnene nĩmakoinangwo.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 Mũrũũthi nĩũkuaga nĩ kwaga gĩa kũguĩma, nacio ciana cia mũrũũthi wa mũgoma ikahurunjũka.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
12 “Nĩ kũrĩ kohoro karanginyĩire na hitho, namo matũ makwa marakaigua gakĩhehanwo.
But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.
13 Ũtukũ ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa cioneki cia kũmakania, ũtukũ rĩrĩa andũ makoragwo marĩ toro mũnene,
In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:
14 ngĩnyiitwo nĩ guoya na kũinaina, namo mahĩndĩ makwa mothe magĩthingitha.
Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.
15 O hĩndĩ ĩyo roho ũraahĩtũkĩra o ũthiũ-inĩ wakwa, nacio njuĩrĩ cia mwĩrĩ wakwa irambarara.
Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:
16 Roho ũcio ũrarũgama, no ndinahota kũmenya ũrĩa ũratariĩ. Mbere yakwa hararũgama mũhianĩre wa kĩndũ, ndĩracooka ndĩraigua gũkĩario na mĩheehũ gũkĩũrio atĩrĩ,
It stood still, but I could not recognize its form; a figure was before my eyes, a slight whisper, then a [louder] voice I heard, saying,
17 ‘Mũndũ wa gũkua-rĩ, aahota gũtuĩka mũthingu gũkĩra Ngai? Mũndũ aahota gũtuĩka mũtheru gũkĩra Mũmũũmbi?
Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Angĩkorwo Ngai ndangĩhota kwĩhoka ndungata ciake-rĩ, na angĩkorwo nĩonaga araika ake marĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ,
Behold, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
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 less in those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed till they come to be eaten by the moth?
20 Kuuma rũciinĩ nginya hwaĩ-inĩ moinangagwo tũcunjĩ; magathira tene na tene matekũrũmbũiyo.
From morning to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.
21 Githĩ mĩkanda ya hema yao ndĩmunyũrĩtwo, nĩguo makue matarĩ na ũũgĩ?’
Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.
