Job 4
1 Mgbe ahụ, Elifaz onye obodo Teman zara Job sị:
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, 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 essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?
3 Lee ka i siri nye ọtụtụ mmadụ ndụmọdụ, na ka i si mee ka ndị na-ada mba nwee ume.
Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.
4 Okwu ọnụ gị abụrụla ihe ịgbaume nye ọtụtụ mmadụ, ị bụrụla ịgbaume nye ndị ikpere ha na-ama jijiji.
Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.
5 Ma leenụ ugbu a, nsogbu abịakwasịla gị, ị bụrụla onye na-ada mba; nsogbu etiela gị aka, i na-ama jijiji.
Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.
6 Egwu ị na-atụ Chineke ọ gaghị abụ ihe ịgbaume nye gị, izi ezi nke ndụ gị abụrụkwa olileanya gị?
Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity 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 where were the righteous 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.
Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.
9 Chineke na-ala ha nʼiyi site nʼume ọ na-ekupụta. Ọ na-esitekwa nʼoke iwe ya repịa ha.
Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.
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 fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 Oke ọdụm na-ala nʼiyi site na-enweghị ihe ọ dọgbutara, ụmụ nne ọdụm niile ka a na-achụsa.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
12 “E mere ka okwu rute m nʼụzọ nzuzo, ntị m nụrụ ya nʼịgba izu.
But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.
13 Nʼime nkụja nke oke nrọ nke abalị, mgbe oke ụra na-adakwasị ụmụ mmadụ,
In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:
14 oke ụjọ na ahụ ịma jijiji dakwasịrị m, meekwa ka ọkpụkpụ niile dị nʼahụ m maa jijiji.
Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.
15 Otu mmụọ sitere nʼihu m gafee. Ọ bụladị ajị dị m nʼahụ guzochara ọtọ nʼihi ụjọ.
Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:
16 Ọ kwụsịrị; ma apụghị m ịkọ ihe ọ bụ. Onyinyo guzooro nʼanya m, anụrụ m olu dị nro, nke kwuru sị:
It stood still, but I could not recognize its form; a figure was before my eyes, a slight whisper, then a [louder] voice I heard, saying,
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?
Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can 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, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
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 less in those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed till they come to be eaten by 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 to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.
21 Ọ bụ na-eholiteghị eriri ụlọ ikwu ha elu, mee ka ha nwụọ na-enweghị amamihe?’
Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.
