Joba 22

1 Dia namaly Elifaza Temanita ka nanao hoe:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 Mahasoa an’ Andriamanitra va ny olona? Tsia, fa mahasoa ny tenany ihany ny olon-kendry.

“Can a man be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?

3 Mampaninona ny Tsitoha moa, raha marina ianao, sa misy tombony ho Azy, raha ataonao tsy misy diso ny alehanao?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4 Moa ny fahatahoranao Azy va no ananarany anao, sy ifanatrehany aminao amin’ ny fitsarana?

Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?

5 Tsy be va ny faharatsianao, sady tsy hita isa ny helokao?

Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?

6 Fa efa naka tsatòka tsy ahoan-tsy ahoana tamin’ ny rahalahinao ianao ka nanendaka ny akanjon’ ny mahantra.

For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.

7 Tsy nanome rano hosotroin’ ny mangetaheta ianao sady tsy nahafoy hanina ho an’ ny noana.

You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people

8 Fa ny olona sandriana ihany no nanana ny tany; Ary ny manan-kaja ihany no nitoetra teo.

although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.

9 Efa nampialainao maina ny mpitondratena. Ary tapahina ny sandrin’ ny kamboty.

You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 Koa noho izany dia misy fandrika manodidina anao, ary ny fahatahorana dia mampihorohoro anao tampoka;

Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.

11 Moa tsy ianao va ny maizina Sy ny rano mandriaka mandifotra anao?

There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.

12 Tsy avo tahaka ny lanitra va Andriamanitra? Jereo ny hahavon’ ny kintana, endrey ny hahavony!

Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 Nefa hoy ianao: Ataon’ Andriamanitra ahoana no fahafantatra? Mahay mitsara ary ankoatry ny rahona maizina va Izy?

You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

14 Ny rahona matevina manakona Azy, ka tsy mahita Izy; Ary mandehandeha eny amin’ ny lanitra Izy.

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'

15 Moa hizotra amin’ ny lalana izay nalehan’ ny olona fahagola va ianao? Dia ilay nalehan’ ny olona ratsy fanahy.

Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—

16 Izay nesorina alohan’ ny androny, ka nindaosin’ ny riaka ny fanorenany,

those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,

17 Dia ireo izay manao tamin’ Andriamanitra hoe: Mialà aminay! Ary inona no azon’ ny Tsitoha atao ho anay?

those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

18 Kanefa Izy no efa nameno zava-tsoa ny tranony ho lavitra ahy anie ny fisainan’ ny ratsy fanahy!

Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.

19 Ny marina mahita ka mifaly, Ary ny tsy manan-tsiny mihomehy ireny hoe:

Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.

20 Marina tokoa fa efa rava ny fahavalontsika, ary ny hareny betsaka efa levon’ ny afo.

They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'

21 Mifankazara amin’ ny Tsitoha ianao, dia hiadana; Izany no hahatongavan’ ny soa aminao.

Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.

22 Masìna ianao, mandraisa fampianarana avy amin’ ny vavany, ary alatsaho ao am-ponao ny teniny.

Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store up his words in your heart.

23 Raha miverina aminy ianao, dia haorina tsara, eny, raha ampanalavirinao ny lainao ny heloka.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.

24 Ario eny amin’ ny vovoka ny akoram-bolamena sy ny akoram-bolafotsy, eny, ario eny amin’ ny vato eny an-dohasahan-driaka ny volamena avy any Ofira;

Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

25 Fa ny Tsitoha no ho akoram-bolamenanao sy akoram-bolafotsinao, Ary ho volafotsy mamirapiratra ho anao.

and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.

26 Fa amin’ izany dia hiravoravo amin’ ny Tsitoha ianao ka hanandratra ny tavanao amin’ Andriamanitra.

For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.

27 Raha mifona aminy ianao, dia hihaino anao Izy; Ary ny voadinao dia hefainao.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.

28 Ary raha misy kasainao hatao, dia hotanterahina aminao, ary hamirapiratra amin’ ny lalanao ny mazava.

You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.

29 Raha misy mietry, dia hataonao hoe: Misandrata; fa ny manetry tena hovonjeny.

God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.

30 Hanafaka ny olona meloka Izy, eny, ny fahadiovan’ ny tananao no hamonjena azy.

He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”