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 diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
3 Nwee ndidi ka m kwuchaa okwu m, mgbe m kwuchara, gaa nʼihu ịkwa m emo.
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
4 “Ọ bụ mmadụ ka m na-ekpesara? Gịnị ka m ga-eji ghara ịbụ onye na-enweghị ndidi?
As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Lee m anya ka ahụ maa gị jijiji; were aka gị kpuchie ọnụ gị.
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
6 Mgbe m chere echiche maka nke a, egwu tụrụ m meekwa ka ahụ m maa jijiji.
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Gịnị mere ndị ajọ omume ji enwe ndụ ogologo, ghọọ okenye, baakwa ụba nʼịdị ike?
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8 Ha na-ahụ ụmụ ka ha na-akwụsike ike gburugburu ha, ụmụ ha ka ha ji anya ha ahụ.
Their child is established with them in their sight, 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 houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God 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 calve, and don’t miscarry.
11 Ha na-ezipụ ụmụ ha dịka igwe atụrụ; ụmụntakịrị ha na-etegharị egwu.
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
12 Ha na-abụ abụ nʼụda egwu otiti na ụbọ akwara; ha na-aṅụrịkwa ọṅụ nʼụda nke ọja.
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 Ma ndị a na-asị Chineke, ‘Hapụ anyị aka, ọ dịghị anyị mkpa ịmata ụzọ gị.
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about 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?’
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, 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.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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 it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
18 Ugboro ole ka ha dịka ahịhịa kpọrọ nkụ nʼihu ikuku, maọbụ dịka igbugbo ọka nke ikuku siri ike na-efesasị?
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries 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.
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may 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 own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of 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 for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 “Ọ dị onye pụrụ izi Chineke ihe ọmụma, ebe ọ bụ ya na-ekpe ndị kachasị elu ikpe?
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
23 Otu onye na-anwụ mgbe o jupụtara nʼike na ume, mgbe ọ nọ na nchekwa na udo,
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 mgbe ahụ ya bụ nke eji ezi nri zụọ nke ọma, ọkpụkpụ ya jupụtakwara nʼụmị.
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 Onye ọzọ na-anwụ nʼihe ilu nke mkpụrụobi, nʼihi na o nweghị mgbe o riri ezi ihe ọbụla.
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
26 Nke ọbụla nʼime ha dina nʼakụkụ ibe ya nʼime aja, ikpuru kpuchikwara ha abụọ.
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
27 “Amaara m nke ọma ihe bụ echiche unu na nzube unu ji emegide m.
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with 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 is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Ọ bụ na unu ajụbeghị ndị njem ajụjụ? Ọ bụ na unu ejighị ihe ha kọrọ mere ihe,
Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
30 na a na-echebe ndị ọjọọ pụọ nʼụbọchị nhụju anya, na a na-anapụta ha site nʼụbọchị oke iwe?
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
31 Onye na-atụ ha mmehie ha nʼihu? Onye kwa na-akwụghachi ha ụgwọ ihe ha mere?
Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
32 A na-eburu ha gaa nʼili, a na-echekwa ili ha nche.
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the 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 will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
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 nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
