Job 30
1 “Ma ugbu a, ha na-akwa m emo bụ ndị bụ ụmụntakịrị nʼebe m nọ, bụ ndị nna ha na-etorughị ndị m na-ezipụ ka ha na nkịta na-eso atụrụ m nọkọta.
Now those who are younger than I have nothing but mockery for me— these young men whose fathers I would have refused to allow to work beside the dogs of my flock.
2 Uru gịnị ka ike aka ha ga-abara m, ebe ọ bụ na ha adịghịkwa ike?
Indeed, the strength of their fathers' hands, how could it have helped me— men in whom the strength of their mature age had perished?
3 Ha bụ ndị ike gwụrụ site nʼụkọ na agụụ, ha na-agagharị nʼala kpọrọ nkụ na-awagharịkwa nʼime ọzara nʼabalị.
They were thin from poverty and hunger; they gnawed at the dry ground in the darkness of wilderness and desolation.
4 Nʼala ọhịa ka ha na-atụrị ahịhịa nnu, mgbọrọgwụ osisi brum bụkwa nri ha.
They plucked saltwort and bushes' leaves; the roots of the broom tree were their food.
5 A chụpụrụ ha site nʼetiti ndị mmadụ ibe ha, a na-etiso ha mkpu dịka ha bụ ndị ohi.
They were driven out from among people who shouted after them as one would shout after a thief.
6 A chụpụrụ ha ka ha gaa biri nʼala iyi mmiri na-adịghị. Ha bi nʼetiti ọgba nkume na ọnụ a tụrụ nʼime ala.
So they had to live in river valleys, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Ha na-eme ụzụ nʼọhịa dịka ụmụ anụmanụ, na-ejikọta onwe ha nʼahịhịa toro nʼokpuru osisi.
Among the bushes they brayed like donkeys and they gathered together under the nettles.
8 Ha bụ ndị e ledara anya, ndị na-enweghị aha, e sitere nʼala ahụ chụpụ ha.
They were the sons of fools, indeed, sons of nameless people! They were driven out of the land with whips.
9 “Ma ugbu a, abụrụla m ihe ụmụ okorobịa ji abụ abụ ịkwa emo; abụrụkwala m okwu ha ji anọpụrụ ụbọchị.
But now I have become the subject of their taunting song; I have become a byword for them.
10 Abụ m ihe ịsọ oyi nye ha, ha adịghị abịakwa m nso; ha anaghị egbu oge igbu m asọ mmiri nʼihu.
They abhor me and stand far off from me; they do not refrain from spitting in my face.
11 Ma ugbu a, ebe ọ bụ na Chineke atọpụla eriri ụta m ma kpagbuo m, o nwekwaghị ihe ha na-adịghị eme nʼihu m.
For God has unstrung the string to my bow and afflicted me, and those who taunt me cast off restraint before my face.
12 Nʼaka nri m mba ndị a na-ebuso m agha. Ha na-esiri ụkwụ m ọnya, ha na-ewuli mgbidi ha nọchibido m.
Upon my right hand rise the rabble; they drive me away and pile up against me their siege mounds.
13 Ha na-etiwasị ụzọ m, ha kwadoro mmekpa ahụ m. ‘O nweghị onye ga-enyere ya aka,’ ka ha na-ekwu.
They destroy my path; they push forward disaster for me, men who have no one to hold them back.
14 Ha na-abịakwasị m dịka ndị sitere ebe e tipuru mgbidi; nʼetiti mbibi ya ha na-enu onwe ha enute nʼebe m nọ.
They come against me like an army through a wide hole in a city wall; in the midst of the destruction they roll themselves in on me.
15 Oke egwu abịakwasịla m; ugwu m adịla ka ihe ifufe buuru, nchekwa m agabigala dịka igwe ojii.
Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is driven away as if by the wind; my prosperity passes away as a cloud.
16 “Ugbu a, ndụ m ji nwayọọ nwayọọ na-agabiga; ụbọchị ahụhụ ejidela m.
Now my life is pouring out from within me; many days of suffering have laid hold on me.
17 Abalị na-esewasị ọkpụkpụ m, ihe mgbu m nke na-ata ata enweghị ezumike.
In the night my bones in me are pierced; the pains that gnaw at me take no rest.
18 Nʼoke ike ya, Chineke na-adịrị m ka uwe; ọ na-ekechi m dịka olu uwe m.
God's great force has seized my clothing; it wraps around me like the collar of my tunic.
19 Ọ na-atụba m nʼime apịtị, mee ka m ghọọ ntụ na aja.
He has thrown me into the mud; I have become like dust and ashes.
20 “Chineke m, anam etiku gị ma ị dịghị aza m; anam eguzo ọtọ, ma naanị anya ka i lere m.
I cry to you, God, but you do not answer me; I stand up, and you merely look at me.
21 Ị na-emegide m na-enweghị obi ebere; i ji aka gị dị ike megide m.
You have changed and become cruel to me; with the strength of your hand you persecute me.
22 Ị na-ejide m nʼike welie m elu chụba m nʼoke ifufe, ị na-eme ka m bụrụ onye na-akwụfegharị nʼoke ifufe nke mmiri.
You lift me up to the wind and cause it to drive me along; you throw me back and forth in a storm.
23 Amara m na ị ga-eweda m ruo ọnwụ; ruo nʼebe e debeere mmadụ niile dị ndụ.
For I know that you will bring me to death, to the house appointed for all the living.
24 “Nʼezie, ọ dịghị onye na-emegide onye e tidara nʼala; mgbe ọ na-eti mkpu nʼọnọdụ nhụju anya ya na-achọ enyemaka.
However, does no one reach out with his hand to beg for help when he falls? Does no one in trouble call out for help?
25 Ọ bụ na m akwaghị akwa nʼihi ndị nọ na nsogbu; ọ bụ na mmụọ m erughị ụjụ nʼihi ndị ogbenye?
Did not I weep for him who was in trouble? Did I not grieve for the needy man?
26 Ma mgbe m lere anya ihe ọma, ihe ọjọọ bịara; mgbe m lere anya ìhè, mgbe ahụ ka ọchịchịrị bịara.
When I hoped for good, then evil came; when I waited for light, darkness came instead.
27 Obi m anaghị ezu ike nʼime m; ụbọchị ahụhụ na-ezute m.
My heart is troubled and does not rest; days of affliction have come on me.
28 Ana m agagharị na-eji nji ma ọ bụghị nʼihi oke anwụ. Eguzola m ọtọ nʼọgbakọ ndị mmadụ tikuo ha ka ha nyere m aka.
I have gone about like one who was living in the dark, but not because of the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.
29 Abụrụla m nwanne nkịta ọhịa; onye ya na ikwighịkwighị na-esogharị.
I am a brother to jackals, a companion of ostriches.
30 Akpụkpọ ahụ m na-eji nji na-ekpe iwere; anụ ahụ m na-anụ ọkụ dịka ihe a kwanyere ọkụ.
My skin is black and falls away from me; my bones are burned with heat.
31 Ụda ụbọ akwara m bụ ụda iru ụjụ; ụda ọja m bụkwa ụda iti mkpu akwa.
Therefore my harp is tuned for songs of mourning, my flute for the singing of those who wail.
