Ayubu 22
1 Ndipo Elifazi Mtemani akajibu:
And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Je, mwanadamu aweza kuwa wa faida kwa Mungu? Je, hata mtu mwenye hekima aweza kumfaidi?
Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
3 Je, Mwenyezi angefurahia nini kama ungekuwa mwadilifu? Au je, yeye angepata faida gani kama njia zako zingekuwa kamilifu?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 “Je, ni kwa ajili ya utaua wako ndiyo maana anakukemea na kuleta mashtaka dhidi yako?
Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Je, uovu wako si mkuu? Dhambi zako si hazina mwisho?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?
6 Umedai dhamana kwa ndugu zako bila sababu; umewavua watu nguo zao, ukawaacha uchi.
For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.
7 Hukumpa maji aliyechoka, nawe ulimnyima chakula mwenye njaa,
Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 ingawa ulikuwa mtu mwenye uwezo ukimiliki nchi: mtu uliyeheshimiwa, ukiishi ndani yake.
But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.
9 Umewafukuza wajane mikono mitupu na kuzivunja nguvu za yatima.
Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Ndiyo sababu mitego imekuzunguka pande zote, hatari ya ghafula inakutia hofu,
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 ndiyo sababu ni giza sana huwezi kuona, tena ndiyo sababu mafuriko ya maji yamekufunika.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.
12 “Je, Mungu hayuko katika mbingu za juu? Juu kuliko nyota zilizo juu sana!
Is not God in the height of the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!
13 Hivyo wewe wasema, ‘Mungu anajua nini?’ Je, yeye huhukumu katika giza kama hilo?
And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Mawingu mazito ni pazia lake, hivyo hatuoni sisi atembeapo juu ya anga la dunia.
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh on the vault of the heavens.
15 Je, utaifuata njia ya zamani, ambayo watu waovu waliikanyaga?
Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?
16 Waliondolewa kabla ya wakati wao, misingi yao ikachukuliwa na mafuriko.
Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;
17 Walimwambia Mungu, ‘Tuache sisi! Huyo Mwenyezi aweza kutufanyia nini?’
Who said unto God, Depart from us! and what could the Almighty do to them?
18 Lakini ndiye alizijaza nyumba zao na vitu vizuri, hivyo ninajitenga mbali na mashauri ya waovu.
Yet he filled their houses with good. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “Wenye haki wanaona maangamizi yao na kufurahi, nao wasio na hatia huwadhihaki, wakisema,
The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 ‘Hakika adui zetu wameangamizwa, nao moto umeteketeza mali zao.’
Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
21 “Mjue sana Mungu ili uwe na amani, ndipo mema yatakapokujia.
Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Uyapokee mafundisho toka kinywani mwake, na maneno yake uyaweke moyoni mwako.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Kama ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utarudishwa upya: Kama ukiuondoa uovu uwe mbali na hema lako,
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,
24 kama dhahabu yako ukiihesabu kama mavumbi, dhahabu yako ya Ofiri kama miamba ya mabondeni,
And put the precious ore with the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the torrents,
25 ndipo Mwenyezi atakuwa dhahabu yako, naye atakuwa fedha yako iliyo bora.
Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;
26 Hakika ndipo utakapojifurahisha kwa Mwenyezi, nawe utamwinulia Mungu uso wako.
Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:
27 Utamwomba yeye, naye atakusikia, nawe utazitimiza nadhiri zako.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 Utakusudia jambo nalo litatendeka, nao mwanga utaangazia njia zako.
And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Watu watakaposhushwa, nawe ukasema, ‘Wainue!’ ndipo atamwokoa aliyevunjika moyo.
When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.
30 Atamwokoa hata yule ambaye ana hatia, ataokolewa kwa sababu ya usafi wa mikono yako.”
[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
