Ayubu 24
1 “Kwa nini Mwenyezi asiweke nyakati kwa ajili ya hukumu? Kwa nini wale wamjuao wazitafute siku kama hizo bila mafanikio?
“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty? Why don’t those who know him see his days?
2 Watu husogeza mawe ya mpaka; huchunga makundi ya wanyama waliyonyangʼanya kwa nguvu.
There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 Huwanyangʼanya yatima punda wao, na kumchukua rehani fahali wa mjane.
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 Humsukuma mhitaji kutoka njia, na kuwafanya maskini wote wa nchi kulazimika kujificha.
They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Kama punda-mwitu jangwani, maskini huzunguka katika kazi zao za kutafuta chakula; mahali palipo jangwa huwapa chakula cha watoto wao.
Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.
6 Hukusanya chakula mashambani na kuokota masazo katika mashamba ya mizabibu ya waovu.
They cut their food in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 Kwa kukosa nguo, usiku kucha hukaa uchi; hawana chochote cha kujifunika baridi.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 Hutota kwa mvua za mlimani, nao huikumbatia miamba kwa ajili ya kukosa pa kujisitiri.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 Mtoto yatima hupokonywa matitini; mtoto wachanga wa maskini hunyakuliwa kwa ajili ya deni.
There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
10 Kwa kukosa nguo, hutembea uchi; hubeba miganda ya ngano, lakini huwa na njaa.
so that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.
11 Hukamua zeituni katika mawe ya kusagia; hukanyaga mashinikizo, lakini wanaona kiu.
They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.
12 Kilio cha huzuni cha wanaokufa kinapaa kutoka mjini, nazo nafsi za waliojeruhiwa zinalilia msaada. Lakini Mungu hamlaumu mtu yeyote kwa kutenda mabaya.
From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn’t regard the folly.
13 “Wako wale wanaoiasi nuru, wasiofahamu njia zake wala hawakai katika mapito yake.
“These are of those who rebel against the light. They don’t know its ways, nor stay in its paths.
14 Wakati mwanga wa mchana unapotoweka, muuaji huinuka naye huwaua maskini na mhitaji; wakati wa usiku hunyemelea kama mwizi.
The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.
15 Jicho la mzinzi hungojea wakati wa giza, naye hufikiri, ‘Hakuna jicho litakaloniona,’ naye huuficha uso wake.
The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.
16 Katika giza, huvunja majumba, lakini wakati wa mchana hujifungia ndani; hawataki kufanya lolote nuruni.
In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.
17 Kwa wote hawa, giza nene ndiyo asubuhi yao; hujifanya rafiki na vitisho vya gizani.
For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18 “Lakini wao ni povu juu ya maji; sehemu yao juu ya nchi imelaaniwa, hivyo hakuna hata mmoja aendaye kwenye shamba la mizabibu.
“They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They don’t turn into the way of the vineyards.
19 Kama vile joto na hari vinyakuavyo theluji iliyoyeyuka, ndivyo kuzimu kuwanyakuavyo waliotenda dhambi. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Tumbo lililowazaa huwasahau, nao huwa karamu ya mabuu; watu waovu hawakumbukwi tena, lakini huvunjika kama mti.
The womb will forget him. The worm will feed sweetly on him. He will be no more remembered. Unrighteousness will be broken as a tree.
21 Huwafanya mawindo wanawake tasa na wasio na watoto, nao hawaonyeshi huruma kwa wajane.
He devours the barren who don’t bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
22 Lakini Mungu huwakokota wenye nguvu kwa uwezo wake; ingawa wamestawi, hawana hakika ya maisha.
Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
23 Aweza akawaacha wakapumzika wakijihisi salama, lakini macho yake yanaona njia zao.
God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.
24 Kwa kitambo kidogo hutukuka, hatimaye hutoweka; hushushwa na kukusanywa kama wengine wote, hukatwa kama masuke ya nafaka.
They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
25 “Kama hili sivyo, ni nani awezaye kunithibitisha kuwa mwongo, na kuyafanya maneno yangu kuwa si kitu?”
If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”
