Ayubu 28
1 “Kuna machimbo ya fedha, na mahali dhahabu isafishwapo.
Truly there is a vein for silver, And a place for gold, which men refine.
2 Chuma hupatikana ardhini, nayo shaba huyeyushwa kutoka mawe ya madini.
Iron is obtained from earth, And stone is melted into copper.
3 Mwanadamu hukomesha giza; huyatafuta hadi sehemu iliyo mbali, kwa ajili ya kuchimbua mawe yenye madini katika giza jeusi sana.
Man putteth an end to darkness; He searcheth to the lowest depths For the stone of darkness and the shadow of death.
4 Huchimba shimo jembamba mbali na makao ya watu, mahali paliposahaulika na nyayo za wanadamu; mbali na wanadamu huningʼinia na kupembea kwa kamba.
From the place where they dwell they open a shaft; Forgotten by the feet, They hang down, they swing away from men.
5 Ardhi, ambako chakula hutoka, chini hugeuzwa kwa moto;
The earth, out of which cometh bread, Is torn up underneath, as it were by fire.
6 yakuti samawi hutoka katika miamba yake, nalo vumbi lake lina vipande vya dhahabu.
Her stones are the place of sapphires, And she hath clods of gold for man.
7 Hakuna ndege awindaye aijuaye njia ile iliyofichika, wala hakuna jicho la mwewe lililoiona.
The path thereto no bird knoweth, And the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 Wanyama wa porini wanaotamba hawajawahi kupakanyaga, wala simba azungukaye huko.
The fierce wild beast hath not trodden it; The lion hath not passed over it.
9 Mikono ya mwanadamu hushambulia miamba migumu sana, na kuiacha wazi mizizi ya milima.
Man layeth his hand upon the rock; He upturneth mountains from their roots;
10 Hutoboa shimo refu la kupenya chini kwa chini kwenye miamba; macho yake huona hazina zake zote.
He cleaveth out streams in the rocks, And his eye seeth every precious thing;
11 Hutafuta vyanzo vya mito na kuvileta vitu vilivyofichika katika nuru.
He bindeth up the streams, that they trickle not, And bringeth hidden things to light.
12 “Lakini hekima inaweza kupatikana wapi? Ufahamu unakaa wapi?
But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Mwanadamu hatambui thamani yake; haiwezi kupatikana katika nchi ya walio hai.
Man knoweth not the price thereof, Nor can it be found in the land of the living.
14 Kilindi husema, ‘Haiko ndani yangu’; bahari nayo husema, ‘Haiko pamoja nami.’
The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Haiwezi kununuliwa kwa dhahabu safi kuliko zote, wala thamani yake haiwezi kupimwa kwa fedha.
It cannot be gotten for gold, Nor shall silver be weighed out as the price thereof.
16 Haiwezi kununuliwa kwa dhahabu ya Ofiri, kwa shohamu ya thamani kubwa au yakuti samawi ya thamani kubwa.
It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx or the sapphire.
17 Dhahabu wala mawe maangavu haviwezi kulinganishwa nayo, wala haiwezi hubadilishwa na vito vya dhahabu.
Gold and crystal are not to be compared with it; Nor can it be purchased with jewels of fine gold.
18 Marijani na yaspi hazistahili kutajwa; thamani ya hekima ni zaidi ya akiki nyekundu.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; For wisdom is more precious than pearls.
19 Yakuti manjano ipatikanayo Kushi haiwezi kulinganishwa nayo, wala haiwezi kununuliwa kwa dhahabu safi.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be purchased with pure gold.
20 “Ni wapi basi hekima itokako? Ufahamu hukaa wapi?
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
21 Imefichika machoni pa kila kitu kilicho hai, imesitiriwa hata kwa ndege wa angani.
Since it is hidden from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Uharibifu na Mauti husema, ‘Ni uvumi wake tu uliotufikia masikioni mwetu.’
Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.
23 Mungu anaifahamu njia ya kuiendea hekima na ndiye peke yake anayefahamu inakokaa,
God knoweth the way to it; He knoweth its dwelling-place.
24 kwa maana yeye huitazama miisho ya dunia na huona kila kitu chini ya mbingu.
For he seeth to the ends of the earth, And surveyeth all things under the whole heaven.
25 Alipofanyiza nguvu za upepo na kuyapima maji,
When he gave the winds their weight, And meted out the waters by measure;
26 alipofanya maagizo kwa ajili ya mvua na njia kwa ajili ya umeme wa radi,
When he prescribed a law to the rain, And a path to the thunder-flash, —
27 ndipo alipoitazama hekima na kuikadiria thamani yake, akaithibitisha na kuihakikisha.
Then did he see it, and make it known; He established it, and searched it out.
28 Naye Mungu akamwambia mwanadamu, ‘Kumcha Bwana: hiyo ndiyo hekima, nako kujitenga na uovu ndio ufahamu.’”
But he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.
