Yobu 41
1 “Oyinza okusikayo lukwata n’eddobo, oba okusiba olulimi lwayo n’omuguwa?
“[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
2 Oyinza okuyingiza omuguwa mu nnyindo zaayo, oba okuwummula oluba lwayo n’eddobo?
Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
3 Eneekwegayirira ng’ekusaba nti, ogikwatirwe ekisa? Eneeyogera naawe mu bigambo ebigonvu?
Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
4 Eneekola naawe endagaano ogitwale ekuweereze obulamu bwayo bwonna?
Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
5 Onoozannya nayo nga bw’ozannya n’akanyonyi, oba okugisiba n’olukoba ng’agisibira bawala bo?
Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
6 Abasuubuzi banaagiramuza, oba banaagibala ng’ekyamaguzi?
Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
7 Oyinza okuvuba eddiba lyayo n’olijjuza amalobo, oba omutwe okugufumita n’amafumu agafumita ebyennyanja?
Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
8 Bw’oligissaako engalo zo ekirivaamu tolikyerabira, toliddayo kukikola!
If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
9 Essuubi lyonna ery’okugiwangula ffu, okugirabako obulabi kimalamu amaanyi.
It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
10 Teri n’omu mukambwe nnyo asobola kugyaŋŋanga. Kale, ani oyo asobola okuyimirira mu maaso gange?
No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
11 Ani alina kye yali ampoze musasule? Byonna ebiri wansi w’eggulu byange.
Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
12 “Ku bikwata ku mikono n’ebigere byayo siisirike, amaanyi gaayo n’ekikula kyayo bya ssimbo.
I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
13 Ani ayinza okugiggyako eddiba lyayo ery’oku ngulu? Ani ayinza okuyuza ekizibaawo kyayo eky’amaliba abiri?
(Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
14 Ani ayinza okuggula enzigi z’akamwa kaayo? Amannyo gaayo geetooloddwa entiisa.
(Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
15 Omugongo gwe gujjudde enkalala z’engabo ezisibiddwa okumukumu.
They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
16 Zonna zisibaganye nga tewali mpewo weeyita.
The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
17 Zakwatagana, ziri ku zinnaazo era tezisobola kwawulibwa.
The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
18 Bw’eyasimula, ebimyanso bijja, n’amaaso gaayo gali nga enjuba ng’egwa.
When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
19 Mu kamwa kaayo muvaamu ebiriro ebyaka. Kavaamu ensasi ez’omuliro.
[It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
20 Mu nnyindo zaayo muvaamu omukka ng’ogwentamu eyeesera eri ku muliro ogw’emmuli ezaaka.
Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
21 Omukka oguva mu nnyindo zaayo gukoleeza Amanda.
Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
22 Mu nsingo yaayo mulimu amaanyi, n’entiisa eri mu maaso gaayo.
Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
23 Emiwula gy’ennyama yaayo gyegasse; gikutte nnyo era tegisobola kwenyeenya.
The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
24 Ekifuba kyayo kigumu ng’olwazi, kigumu ng’olubengo.
[They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
25 Bwesituka ab’amaanyi batya. Badduka olw’okubwatuka kwayo.
When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
26 Ekitala bwe kigituukako tekirina kye kiyinza kumukolako, oba ffumu, oba omuwunda wadde akasaale akasongovu.
[People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
27 Emenya ebyuma gy’obeera nti ekutulakutula bisasiro, ebyo ebikomo ebimenyaamenya ng’emiti emivundu.
They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
28 Akasaale tekayinza kugiddusa, amayinja ag’envumuulo gaba nga biti gy’eri.
[Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
29 Embukuuli nayo eri ng’ebisusunku gy’eri. Esekerera amafumu agakasukibwa.
They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
30 Amagalagamba g’oku lubuto lwayo gali ng’engyo z’ensuwa. Bwe yeekulula mu bitosi ebeera ng’ekyuma ekiwuula.
Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
31 Ereetera obuziba bw’ennyanja okuba ng’entamu eyeesera. Ennyanja n’eba ng’entamu y’omuzigo ogufumbibwa.
They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
32 Mu mazzi mw’eyise, erekamu ekkubo ery’amayengo ameeru; ne kireeta n’ekirowoozo nti obuziba bulina envi.
As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
33 Tewali kigyenkana ku nsi; ekitonde ekitatya.
There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
34 Enyooma buli kisolo. Ye kabaka w’abo bonna ab’amalala.”
They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
