< Job 4 >

1 Mgbe ahụ, Elifaz onye obodo Teman zara Job sị:
Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:
2 “Iwe ọ ga-ewe gị ma ọ bụrụ na mmadụ agwa gị okwu? Onye kwanụ nwere ike ịnọ nʼebe a hapụ ikwu okwu?
If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill, but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?
3 Lee ka i siri nye ọtụtụ mmadụ ndụmọdụ, na ka i si mee ka ndị na-ada mba nwee ume.
Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:
4 Okwu ọnụ gị abụrụla ihe ịgbaume nye ọtụtụ mmadụ, ị bụrụla ịgbaume nye ndị ikpere ha na-ama jijiji.
Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:
5 Ma leenụ ugbu a, nsogbu abịakwasịla gị, ị bụrụla onye na-ada mba; nsogbu etiela gị aka, i na-ama jijiji.
But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Egwu ị na-atụ Chineke ọ gaghị abụ ihe ịgbaume nye gị, izi ezi nke ndụ gị abụrụkwa olileanya gị?
Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?
7 “Chee echiche ugbu a! Onye, bụ onye aka ya dị ọcha, nke a larala nʼiyi? Ebee ka i hụrụ ka e bibiri ndị na-eme ihe ziri ezi?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?
8 Dịka m si hụ ya, ndị na-agha ajọ ihe dịka mkpụrụ na ndị na-akụ okwu na ụka na-aghọta ya dịka ihe ubi.
On the contrary I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,
9 Chineke na-ala ha nʼiyi site nʼume ọ na-ekupụta. Ọ na-esitekwa nʼoke iwe ya repịa ha.
Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.
10 Ọdụm nwere ike gbọọ ụja, maọbụ bigbọọ, ma eze ọdụm dị ike ka a gbajisiri.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken:
11 Oke ọdụm na-ala nʼiyi site na-enweghị ihe ọ dọgbutara, ụmụ nne ọdụm niile ka a na-achụsa.
The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.
12 “E mere ka okwu rute m nʼụzọ nzuzo, ntị m nụrụ ya nʼịgba izu.
Now there was a word spoken to me in private, and my ears by stealth as it were received the veins of its whisper.
13 Nʼime nkụja nke oke nrọ nke abalị, mgbe oke ụra na-adakwasị ụmụ mmadụ,
In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to hold men,
14 oke ụjọ na ahụ ịma jijiji dakwasịrị m, meekwa ka ọkpụkpụ niile dị nʼahụ m maa jijiji.
Fear seized upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were affrighted:
15 Otu mmụọ sitere nʼihu m gafee. Ọ bụladị ajị dị m nʼahụ guzochara ọtọ nʼihi ụjọ.
And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 Ọ kwụsịrị; ma apụghị m ịkọ ihe ọ bụ. Onyinyo guzooro nʼanya m, anụrụ m olu dị nro, nke kwuru sị:
There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a gentle wind:
17 ‘Mmadụ efu ọ nwere ike bụrụ onye ezi omume karịa Chineke? Ọ bụladị nwoke dị ike, ọ pụrụ ịdị ọcha nʼobi karịa Onye kere ya?
Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?
18 Ọ bụrụ na Chineke adịghị atụkwasị ndị ozi ya obi, ọ bụrụ na ọ na-ebo ndị mmụọ ozi ya ebubo imejọ ihe,
Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:
19 ọ ga-esi aṅaa ghara ibo ndị bi nʼụlọ ụrọ ebubo karịa, bụ ndị ntọala ha dị nʼaja, ndị nke a na-azọpịa ngwangwa dịka nla.
How much more shall they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation, be consumed as with the moth?
20 Site nʼụtụtụ ruo nʼanyasị, a na-etipịasị ha: ha na-ala nʼiyi ruo mgbe ebighị ebi, ihe niile a na-agakwa dịka o si aga.
From morning till evening they shall be cut down: and because no one understandeth, they shall perish for ever.
21 Ọ bụ na-eholiteghị eriri ụlọ ikwu ha elu, mee ka ha nwụọ na-enweghị amamihe?’
And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.

< Job 4 >