Job 14
1 “Mmadụ nke nwanyị mụrụ nwere ụbọchị ole na ole nke jupụtara na nsogbu.
As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.
2 Ọ na-awalite dịka okoko osisi, ma kpọnwụọkwa mgbe na-adịghị anya, dịka onyinyo, ọ na-agabiga agabiga.
He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.
3 Ị na-elegide onye dị otu a anya? Ị ga-akpọ ya ikpe nʼihu gị?
Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?
4 Onye pụrụ iwepụta ihe dị ọcha site nʼihe na-adịghị ọcha? Ọ dịghị onye ọ bụ.
If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.
5 Ị kpebiela ụbọchị ndụ nke mmadụ; ị kabiela ọnụọgụgụ nke ọnwa ya niile, kpaakwa oke ebe ọ na-agaghị agabiga.
If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;
6 Nʼihi nke a, wepụ anya gị nʼebe ọ nọ, hapụ ya ka ọ nọọrọ onwe ya ruo mgbe ụbọchị ya ga-ezu dịka onye e goro ọrụ.
Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.
7 “Ma olileanya dịịrị osisi; nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na e gbutuo ya, ọ ga-epuchikwa, alaka ọhụrụ ya aghaghị ịwapụtakwa.
For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.
8 A sịkwarị na mgbọrọgwụ ya emeela ochie nʼala, maọbụ na ogwe ya anwụọ nʼaja,
Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;
9 mgbe ọbụla mmiri zokwasịrị ya, ọ na-epupụta dịka ihe a kụrụ akụ.
Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.
10 Ma mmadụ na-anwụ, e lie ya; ọ na-ekubikwa ume si otu a gabiga.
But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
11 Dịka mmiri dị nʼoke osimiri si ata, maọbụ ka mmiri dị nʼiyi si ata nʼoge ọkọchị,
The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;
12 otu a ka mmadụ si e dinaa ma ọ dịghị etetakwa ọzọ; tutu ruo mgbe eluigwe na-agaghị adịkwa; mmadụ ọbụla apụghị i si nʼụra kpọtee ya, agaghị akpọtekwa ha site nʼụra ha.
So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their sleep.
13 “A sị na ị ga-ezo m nʼala mmụọ, na ị ga-ezobe m tutu ruo mgbe iwe gị gabigara. A sị na ị ga-akanyere m oge ma mesịa cheta m. (Sheol h7585)
If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again! (Sheol h7585)
14 Ọ bụrụ na mmadụ anwụọ, ọ ga-adị ndụ ọzọ? Ụbọchị niile nke ọrụ ahụhụ m, aga m echere mgbe nnapụta m ga-abịa.
If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.
15 Ị ga-akpọ, aga m azakwa gị, agụụ ọrụ aka gị ga-agụ gị.
At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16 Nʼihi mgbe ahụ ị ga-agụ nzọ ụkwụ m niile ọnụ, ma ị gaghị agụkọ mmehie m.
For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.
17 A ga-ekechi njehie m nʼakpa, ị ga-ekpuchi mmehie m.
My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.
18 “Ma dịka ugwu si erichasi daa, na dịka a na-enupu oke nkume nʼọnọdụ ya,
But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;
19 dịka mmiri si akwọchasị nkume, na dịka oke mmiri ozuzo si akwazekwa aja ala, otu a ka i si eme ka olileanya mmadụ laa nʼiyi.
The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.
20 Ị na-egosi ya na ị karịrị ya ike, ma ha na-agabiga; ị na-eme ka ihu ya gbanwee, ma zilaga ya.
You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.
21 Ọ bụrụ na a na-asọpụrụ ụmụ ha, ha adịghị amata nke a; ọ bụrụkwa na a na-eweda ha nʼala, ha ọ dịghị ahụ ya.
His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.
22 Ihe mgbu nke anụ ahụ ya ka ọ na-ama ma na-erukwara naanị onwe ya ụjụ.”
Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.
