Job 21
1 Mgbe ahụ, Job zara sị:
Then Job answered:
2 “Gee ntị nke ọma nʼokwu m; ka nke a bụrụ nkasiobi ị ga-enye m.
“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.
3 Nwee ndidi ka m kwuchaa okwu m, mgbe m kwuchara, gaa nʼihu ịkwa m emo.
Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
4 “Ọ bụ mmadụ ka m na-ekpesara? Gịnị ka m ga-eji ghara ịbụ onye na-enweghị ndidi?
Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
5 Lee m anya ka ahụ maa gị jijiji; were aka gị kpuchie ọnụ gị.
Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.
6 Mgbe m chere echiche maka nke a, egwu tụrụ m meekwa ka ahụ m maa jijiji.
When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.
7 Gịnị mere ndị ajọ omume ji enwe ndụ ogologo, ghọọ okenye, baakwa ụba nʼịdị ike?
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
8 Ha na-ahụ ụmụ ka ha na-akwụsike ike gburugburu ha, ụmụ ha ka ha ji anya ha ahụ.
Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Ha na-ebi ndụ udo nʼezinaụlọ ha na-atụghị egwu na ihe ọjọọ ọbụla ga-adakwasị ha; mkpara Chineke adịghịkwa adakwasị ha.
Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
10 Oke ehi ha na-agba nne ehi ha na-esepụghị aka; nne ehi ha na-amụ ụmụ, ha adịghị ekwo ime.
Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.
11 Ha na-ezipụ ụmụ ha dịka igwe atụrụ; ụmụntakịrị ha na-etegharị egwu.
They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,
12 Ha na-abụ abụ nʼụda egwu otiti na ụbọ akwara; ha na-aṅụrịkwa ọṅụ nʼụda nke ọja.
singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.
They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
14 Ma ndị a na-asị Chineke, ‘Hapụ anyị aka, ọ dịghị anyị mkpa ịmata ụzọ gị.
Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
15 Onye ka Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile bụ, anyị ga-eji jeere ya ozi? Uru gịnị ka ịrịọ ya arịrịọ ga-abara anyị?’
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’
16 Ma ọganihu ha adịghị nʼaka ha ya mere ana m ewezuga onwe m site na ndụmọdụ ndị na-emebi iwu.
Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
17 “Ma ugboro ole ka a na-emenyụ ọkụ oriọna nke ndị na-emebi iwu? Ugboro ole ka nhụju anya na-adakwasị ha, bụ nke Chineke kenyere ha nʼiwe ya?
How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
18 Ugboro ole ka ha dịka ahịhịa kpọrọ nkụ nʼihu ikuku, maọbụ dịka igbugbo ọka nke ikuku siri ike na-efesasị?
Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?
19 A na-asị, ‘Chineke na-akpakọtara ụmụ ha ntaramahụhụ nke njehie ha.’ Ka a kwụghachi ha ya, ka ha nwee ike mata ya.
It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
20 Ka anya ha hụ mbibi nke onwe ya, ka ha ṅụọ ọnụma nke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile dịka mmiri.
Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.
21 Gịnị gbasara ha banyere ezinaụlọ ha hapụrụ mgbe ọnwa ndị e kenyere ya bịara na ngwụcha?
For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?
22 “Ọ dị onye pụrụ izi Chineke ihe ọmụma, ebe ọ bụ ya na-ekpe ndị kachasị elu ikpe?
Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
23 Otu onye na-anwụ mgbe o jupụtara nʼike na ume, mgbe ọ nọ na nchekwa na udo,
One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.
24 mgbe ahụ ya bụ nke eji ezi nri zụọ nke ọma, ọkpụkpụ ya jupụtakwara nʼụmị.
His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.
25 Onye ọzọ na-anwụ nʼihe ilu nke mkpụrụobi, nʼihi na o nweghị mgbe o riri ezi ihe ọbụla.
Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.
26 Nke ọbụla nʼime ha dina nʼakụkụ ibe ya nʼime aja, ikpuru kpuchikwara ha abụọ.
But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.
27 “Amaara m nke ọma ihe bụ echiche unu na nzube unu ji emegide m.
Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28 Unu ga-ajụ m ajụjụ sị, ‘Ugbu a, ole ụlọ oke mmadụ ahụ. Ụlọ ikwu ndị ahụ ebe ndị na-emebi iwu biiri?’
For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
29 Ọ bụ na unu ajụbeghị ndị njem ajụjụ? Ọ bụ na unu ejighị ihe ha kọrọ mere ihe,
Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?
30 na a na-echebe ndị ọjọọ pụọ nʼụbọchị nhụju anya, na a na-anapụta ha site nʼụbọchị oke iwe?
Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
31 Onye na-atụ ha mmehie ha nʼihu? Onye kwa na-akwụghachi ha ụgwọ ihe ha mere?
Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
32 A na-eburu ha gaa nʼili, a na-echekwa ili ha nche.
He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
33 Aja dị na ndagwurugwu na-atọ ha ụtọ; Mmadụ niile na-eso ha nʼazụ, na ọtụtụ a na-apụghị ịgụta ọnụ na-ebu ha ụzọ nʼaga.
The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.
34 “Ya mere, olee otu unu ga-esi were okwu na-enweghị isi kasịe m obi? Ọ dịghị ihe fọdụrụ nʼọsịịsa unu ma ọ bụghị naanị okwu ụgha.”
So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”
