Job 21
1 Mgbe ahụ, Job zara sị:
Job replied,
2 “Gee ntị nke ọma nʼokwu m; ka nke a bụrụ nkasiobi ị ga-enye m.
“Please listen carefully to what I say—that would be one comfort you could give me.
3 Nwee ndidi ka m kwuchaa okwu m, mgbe m kwuchara, gaa nʼihu ịkwa m emo.
Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
4 “Ọ bụ mmadụ ka m na-ekpesara? Gịnị ka m ga-eji ghara ịbụ onye na-enweghị ndidi?
Am I complaining against people? Of course not. Why shouldn't I be impatient?
5 Lee m anya ka ahụ maa gị jijiji; were aka gị kpuchie ọnụ gị.
Just take a look at me. Aren't you appalled? Cover your mouth with your hand in shock!
6 Mgbe m chere echiche maka nke a, egwu tụrụ m meekwa ka ahụ m maa jijiji.
Every time I think of what's happened to me I am horrified and I shake all over with fear.
7 Gịnị mere ndị ajọ omume ji enwe ndụ ogologo, ghọọ okenye, baakwa ụba nʼịdị ike?
Why do the wicked continue to live, to grow old and increasingly powerful?
8 Ha na-ahụ ụmụ ka ha na-akwụsike ike gburugburu ha, ụmụ ha ka ha ji anya ha ahụ.
Their children are with them; they watch their grandchildren grow up.
9 Ha na-ebi ndụ udo nʼezinaụlọ ha na-atụghị egwu na ihe ọjọọ ọbụla ga-adakwasị ha; mkpara Chineke adịghịkwa adakwasị ha.
They live in their homes in safety—they are not afraid. God does not use his rod to beat 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 always breed successfully; their cows give birth to calves and do not miscarry.
11 Ha na-ezipụ ụmụ ha dịka igwe atụrụ; ụmụntakịrị ha na-etegharị egwu.
They send out their little ones like lambs to play; their children dance around.
12 Ha na-abụ abụ nʼụda egwu otiti na ụbọ akwara; ha na-aṅụrịkwa ọṅụ nʼụda nke ọja.
They sing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre; they celebrate with the music of the flute.
They live out their lives contentedly, 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 tell God, ‘Get lost! We don't want anything to do with you.
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 does the Almighty think he is for us to serve him as slaves? What benefit is there for us 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.
Such people believe they make their own fortune, but I don't accept their way of thinking.
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 snuffed out? How often does disaster come upon them? How often does God punish the wicked in his anger?
18 Ugboro ole ka ha dịka ahịhịa kpọrọ nkụ nʼihu ikuku, maọbụ dịka igbugbo ọka nke ikuku siri ike na-efesasị?
Are they blown along like straw in the wind? Does a tornado come in and carry them away?
19 A na-asị, ‘Chineke na-akpakọtara ụmụ ha ntaramahụhụ nke njehie ha.’ Ka a kwụghachi ha ya, ka ha nwee ike mata ya.
Some say, ‘God saves up people's punishment for their children.’ But I say, ‘God should punish those people themselves so that they can learn from it.’
20 Ka anya ha hụ mbibi nke onwe ya, ka ha ṅụọ ọnụma nke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile dịka mmiri.
Let them see their destruction themselves, and drink deeply from God's anger.
21 Gịnị gbasara ha banyere ezinaụlọ ha hapụrụ mgbe ọnwa ndị e kenyere ya bịara na ngwụcha?
For they don't care what happens to their families once they're dead.
22 “Ọ dị onye pụrụ izi Chineke ihe ọmụma, ebe ọ bụ ya na-ekpe ndị kachasị elu ikpe?
Can anyone teach God anything he doesn't already know, since he is the one who judges even heavenly beings?
23 Otu onye na-anwụ mgbe o jupụtara nʼike na ume, mgbe ọ nọ na nchekwa na udo,
One person dies in good health, totally comfortable and secure.
24 mgbe ahụ ya bụ nke eji ezi nri zụọ nke ọma, ọkpụkpụ ya jupụtakwara nʼụmị.
Their body is fat from eating well; their bones still strong.
25 Onye ọzọ na-anwụ nʼihe ilu nke mkpụrụobi, nʼihi na o nweghị mgbe o riri ezi ihe ọbụla.
Another dies after a miserable life without every experiencing happiness.
26 Nke ọbụla nʼime ha dina nʼakụkụ ibe ya nʼime aja, ikpuru kpuchikwara ha abụọ.
Yet they are both buried in the same dust; they are treated alike in death, eaten by maggots.
27 “Amaara m nke ọma ihe bụ echiche unu na nzube unu ji emegide m.
Look, I know what you're thinking, and your schemes to do me wrong.
28 Unu ga-ajụ m ajụjụ sị, ‘Ugbu a, ole ụlọ oke mmadụ ahụ. Ụlọ ikwu ndị ahụ ebe ndị na-emebi iwu biiri?’
You may ask me, ‘Where is the home of the great man? Where is the place where the wicked live?’
29 Ọ bụ na unu ajụbeghị ndị njem ajụjụ? Ọ bụ na unu ejighị ihe ha kọrọ mere ihe,
Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?
30 na a na-echebe ndị ọjọọ pụọ nʼụbọchị nhụju anya, na a na-anapụta ha site nʼụbọchị oke iwe?
Wicked people are spared in times of disaster; they are rescued from the day of judgment.
31 Onye na-atụ ha mmehie ha nʼihu? Onye kwa na-akwụghachi ha ụgwọ ihe ha mere?
Who confronts them with their actions? Who pays them back for what they have done?
32 A na-eburu ha gaa nʼili, a na-echekwa ili ha nche.
When they eventually die and are carried to the graveyard, their tomb is guarded. The earth of the grave softly covers them.
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.
Everyone attends their funeral service; a huge procession of people comes to pay their last respects.
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.”
Why do you try to comfort me with worthless nonsense? Your answers are just a pack of lies!”
