Yobu 31

1 “Nakola endagaano n’amaaso gange; obutatunuulira muwala n’amaaso ag’obukaba.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?

2 Kiki Katonda kye yandinsasudde okuva waggulu, omugabo ogwandivudde eri oyo Ayinzabyonna ali waggulu?

For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 Emitawaana tegijjira abo abatali batukuvu, n’okulaba ennaku ne kujjira abakola eby’obujeemu?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4 Amakubo gange gonna tagalaba, era tamanyi ntambula yange?

Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?

5 Obanga natambulira mu bulimba era nga n’ekigere kyange kyayanguyiriza okukola obukuusa;

If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit

6 leka mpimibwe ku minzaani ya Katonda amanye obutuukirivu bwange.

(Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity);

7 Obanga ekigere kyange kyali kikyamye okuva mu kkubo, n’omutima gwange ne gugoberera amaaso gange, engalo zange ne zibaako ebbala lyonna;

If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:

8 kale nsige, omulala abirye, weewaawo ebirime byange bikuulibwe.

Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9 Obanga omutima gwange gwali gusendeddwasendeddwa omukazi, oba ne mmuteegera ku mulyango gwa muliraanwa,

If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door;

10 kale omukazi wange ase eŋŋaano y’omusajja omulala, n’abasajja abalala beebake naye.

Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her.

11 Kubanga ekyo kyandibadde kya kivve, ekibi ekiŋŋwanira okubonerezebwa.

For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

12 Ogwo gwandibadde muliro ogwokya okutuusa mu kuzikirira, ogwandyokezza ebyange byonna bye nasimba.”

For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase.

13 “Obanga nnali nnyoomye ensonga y’omuddu wange oba omuddu wange omukazi, bwe banninaako ensonga,

If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;

14 kale ndikola ntya Katonda bw’alinnyimukiramu? Era bw’alimbuuza, ndimuddamu ki?

What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

15 Eyantonda mu lubuto nabo si ye yabatonda? Ffenna si ye yatukola mu mbuto za bannyaffe?

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16 “Obanga nnamma omwavu ekintu kyonna, era obanga nakaabya nnamwandu;

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 obanga nnali ndidde akamere kange nzekka atalina kitaawe n’atalyako,

Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof

18 kubanga okuva mu buto bwange namulera nga kitaawe, era okuva mu lubuto lwa mmange nayamba nnamwandu.

(Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother’s womb);

19 Obanga nnali ndabye omuntu yenna ng’afa olw’okubulwa ebyambalo, oba ali mu kwetaaga atalina kye yeebikka;

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;

20 mpozzi omutima gwe, gwe gutansiima, olw’okumubugumya n’ebyoya by’endiga zange;

If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 obanga nayimusa omukono gwange eri abatalina bakitaabwe, kubanga mmanyi nti, mmanyiganye n’ab’obuyinza,

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:

22 kale omukono gwange gukutuke ku kibegabega kyange, leka gukutukireyo mu kinywa we guyungira.

Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone.

23 Olw’okutya okuzikirizibwa Katonda n’olw’obukulu bwe, nnali sisobola kukola bintu ng’ebyo.

For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.

24 “Obanga nateeka obweyamo bwange mu zaabu oba ne ŋŋamba zaabu ennongoose nti, ‘Ggwe bwesige bwange;’

If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

25 obanga neeyagala olw’okuba n’obugagga obungi, oba olw’okuba emikono gyange gy’ali ginfunyisizza bingi;

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;

26 obanga nnali ntunuulidde enjuba, oba omwezi nga byaka mu kitiibwa,

If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness,

27 omutima gwange ne gusendebwasendebwa mu kyama, ne mbinywegera nga mbisaamu ekitiibwa,

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand:

28 era n’ekyo kyandibadde kibi ekiŋŋwanyiza okusalirwa omusango olw’obutaba mwesigwa eri Katonda ali waggulu.”

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above.

29 “Obanga nasanyuka ng’omulabe wange afunye emitawaana oba ne njaguza olw’ebizibu ebyamutuukako,

If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him

30 sakkiriza kamwa kange kwonoona nga nkolimira obulamu bwe.

(Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);

31 Abantu b’omu nnyumba yange bwe baba tebabuuzanga nti, ‘Ani atakkuse nnyama?’

If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat?

32 Tewali mutambuze yasula ku kkubo, kubanga oluggi lwange lwali luggule eri buli muyise.

(The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller);

33 Obanga nakweka ekibi kyange ng’abantu bwe bakola, nga nkweka obutali butuukirivu bwange mu mutima gwange,

If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

34 olw’okutya ekibiina, nga ntya okuswala mu kika, ne nsirika ne ntya n’okufuluma ebweru,

Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door—

35 so nga waliwo ayinza okumpulira, leka nteekeko omukono ku mpoza yange, leka Ayinzabyonna anziremu; n’oyo ampawaabira abiteeke mu buwandiike.

Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me) And [that I had] the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

36 “Ddala ddala nandibyambadde ku kibegabega kyange, nandibyambadde ku mutwe ng’engule.

Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown:

37 Nandimunnyonnyodde buli kifo we nalinnya ekigere, nandimusemberedde ng’omulangira.

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him.

38 “Singa ettaka lyange linkaabirira, n’ebinnya byalyo bye nsimye ne bitotobala n’amaziga;

If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together;

39 obanga ndiddemu ebibala awatali kusasula, era ne ndeetera bannannyini lyo okufa,

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

40 leka omwennyango gumere mu kifo ky’eŋŋaano, n’omuddo oguwunya gumere mu kifo kya sayiri.” Ebigambo bya Yobu byakoma wano.

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.