< Ayubu 31 >
1 “Nimefanya agano na macho yangu yasimtazame msichana kwa kumtamani.
I made a covenant with my eyes. How then should I look upon a virgin?
2 Kwa kuwa fungu la mwanadamu ni gani kutoka kwa Mungu juu, urithi wake kutoka kwa Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Aliye juu?
For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Je, si uharibifu kwa watu waovu, maangamizi kwa wale watendao mabaya?
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4 Je, yeye hazioni njia zangu na kuihesabu kila hatua yangu?
Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 “Kama nimeishi katika uongo au mguu wangu umekimbilia udanganyifu,
If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hastened to deceit
6 Mungu na anipime katika mizani za uaminifu, naye atajua kwamba sina hatia:
(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
7 kama hatua zangu zimepotoka kutoka kwenye njia, kama moyo wangu umeongozwa na macho yangu, au kama mikono yangu imetiwa unajisi,
if my step has turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any spot has clung to my hands,
8 basi wengine na wale nilichokipanda, nayo yale yote niliyootesha na yangʼolewe.
then let me sow, and let another eat, yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9 “Kama moyo wangu umeshawishiwa na mwanamke, au kama nimevizia mlangoni mwa jirani yangu,
If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor's door,
10 basi mke wangu na asage nafaka ya mwanaume mwingine, nao wanaume wengine walale naye.
then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 Kwa kuwa hilo lingekuwa aibu, naam, dhambi ya kuhukumiwa.
For that is a heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 Ni moto uwakao kwa Uharibifu; ungekuwa umengʼoa mavuno yangu.
For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
13 “Kama ningewanyima haki watumishi wangu wanaume au vijakazi wangu, walipokuwa na manungʼuniko dhidi yangu,
If I have despised the case of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me,
14 nitafanya nini Mungu atakaponikabili? Nitamjibu nini nitakapoitwa kutoa hesabu?
what then shall I do when God rises up? And when he visits, what shall I answer him?
15 Je, yeye aliyeniumba tumboni mwa mama yangu, si ndiye aliwaumba? Je, si ni yeye huyo mmoja aliyetuumba sote ndani ya mama zetu?
Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 “Ikiwa nimewanyima maskini haja zao, au kuyaacha macho ya wajane yadhoofike,
If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 kama nimekula chakula changu mwenyewe, bila kuwashirikisha yatima;
or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 lakini tangu ujana wangu nimemlea yatima kama ambavyo baba angefanya, nami tangu kuzaliwa kwangu nimewaongoza wajane:
(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and her I have guided from my mother's womb);
19 kama nilimwona yeyote akiteseka kwa kukosa nguo, au mtu mhitaji asiye na mavazi
if I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 ambaye wala moyo wake haukunibariki kwa kumpatia joto kwa mavazi ya manyoya ya kondoo zangu,
if his loins have not blessed me, and if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 na kama nimeinua mkono wangu dhidi ya yatima, nikijua kuwa nina ushawishi mahakamani,
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,
22 basi mkono wangu na unyofoke toka begani mwangu, nao na uvunjike kutoka kiungio chake.
then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
23 Kwa kuwa niliogopa uharibifu kutoka kwa Mungu, nami kwa kuuogopa utukufu wake sikuweza kufanya mambo kama hayo.
For calamity from God is a terror to me, and I can do nothing because of his majesty.
24 “Kama nimeweka tumaini langu kwenye dhahabu, au kuiambia dhahabu safi, ‘Wewe ndiwe salama yangu,’
If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, Thou are my confidence;
25 kama nimefurahia wingi wa utajiri wangu, ustawi ambao mikono yangu ilikuwa imepata,
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 kama nimelitazama jua katika kungʼaa kwake au mwezi ukienda kwa fahari yake,
if I have beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
27 hivyo moyo wangu kushawishiwa kwa siri, au kubusu mkono wangu kwa kuviheshimu,
and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand
28 basi hiyo pia ingekuwa dhambi ya kuhukumiwa, kwa kuwa ningekuwa si mwaminifu kwa Mungu aishiye juu sana.
(this also is an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God that is above);
29 “Kama nimeshangilia msiba wa adui yangu, au kutazama kwa furaha taabu iliyomjia,
if I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30 lakini sikuruhusu kinywa changu kufanya dhambi kwa kuomba laana dhidi ya maisha yake;
(yea, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
31 kama watu wa nyumbani mwangu kamwe hawakusema, ‘Ni nani ambaye hajashibishwa na nyama ya Ayubu?’
if the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one who has not been filled with his food?
32 Lakini hakuna mgeni aliyelala njiani, kwa maana mlango wangu ulikuwa wazi kwa msafiri;
(the sojourner has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
33 kama nimeifunika dhambi yangu kama wanadamu wengine wafanyavyo, kwa kuficha hatia yangu moyoni mwangu,
if like Adam I have covered my transgressions by hiding my iniquity in my bosom
34 kwa sababu ya kuogopa umati wa watu, na hivyo kuwa na hofu ya kudharauliwa na jamaa, nikanyamaza kimya nisitoke nje ya mlango:
because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me so that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door-
35 (“Laiti kama angekuwepo mtu wa kunisikia! Tazama sasa ninatia sahihi kwenye utetezi wangu: Mwenyezi na anijibu; mshtaki wangu na aweke mashtaka yake kwenye maandishi.
O that I had someone to hear me (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me), and that I had the indictment which my adversary has written!
36 Hakika ningeyavaa begani mwangu, ningeyavaa kama taji.
Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder. I would bind it to me as a crown.
37 Ningempa hesabu ya kila hatua yangu, ningemwendea kama mwana wa mfalme.)
I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him as a prince.
38 “Kama nchi yangu inalia dhidi yangu, na mifereji yake yote imelowana kwa machozi,
If my land cries out against me, and the furrows of it weep together;
39 kama nimekula mazao yake bila malipo, au kuvunja mioyo ya wapangaji wake,
if I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused the owners of it to lose their lives,
40 basi miiba na iote badala ya ngano, na magugu badala ya shayiri.” Mwisho wa maneno ya Ayubu.
let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.