Ayubu 31
1 “Nimefanya agano na macho yangu yasimtazame msichana kwa kumtamani.
I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
2 Kwa kuwa fungu la mwanadamu ni gani kutoka kwa Mungu juu, urithi wake kutoka kwa Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Aliye juu?
What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
3 Je, si uharibifu kwa watu waovu, maangamizi kwa wale watendao mabaya?
Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
4 Je, yeye hazioni njia zangu na kuihesabu kila hatua yangu?
Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
5 “Kama nimeishi katika uongo au mguu wangu umekimbilia udanganyifu,
Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
6 Mungu na anipime katika mizani za uaminifu, naye atajua kwamba sina hatia:
No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 kama hatua zangu zimepotoka kutoka kwenye njia, kama moyo wangu umeongozwa na macho yangu, au kama mikono yangu imetiwa unajisi,
If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
8 basi wengine na wale nilichokipanda, nayo yale yote niliyootesha na yangʼolewe.
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
9 “Kama moyo wangu umeshawishiwa na mwanamke, au kama nimevizia mlangoni mwa jirani yangu,
If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
10 basi mke wangu na asage nafaka ya mwanaume mwingine, nao wanaume wengine walale naye.
then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
11 Kwa kuwa hilo lingekuwa aibu, naam, dhambi ya kuhukumiwa.
For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
12 Ni moto uwakao kwa Uharibifu; ungekuwa umengʼoa mavuno yangu.
for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
13 “Kama ningewanyima haki watumishi wangu wanaume au vijakazi wangu, walipokuwa na manungʼuniko dhidi yangu,
If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
14 nitafanya nini Mungu atakaponikabili? Nitamjibu nini nitakapoitwa kutoa hesabu?
what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
15 Je, yeye aliyeniumba tumboni mwa mama yangu, si ndiye aliwaumba? Je, si ni yeye huyo mmoja aliyetuumba sote ndani ya mama zetu?
Didn't the same God make all of us?
16 “Ikiwa nimewanyima maskini haja zao, au kuyaacha macho ya wajane yadhoofike,
Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
17 kama nimekula chakula changu mwenyewe, bila kuwashirikisha yatima;
Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
18 lakini tangu ujana wangu nimemlea yatima kama ambavyo baba angefanya, nami tangu kuzaliwa kwangu nimewaongoza wajane:
From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
19 kama nilimwona yeyote akiteseka kwa kukosa nguo, au mtu mhitaji asiye na mavazi
If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
20 ambaye wala moyo wake haukunibariki kwa kumpatia joto kwa mavazi ya manyoya ya kondoo zangu,
they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 na kama nimeinua mkono wangu dhidi ya yatima, nikijua kuwa nina ushawishi mahakamani,
If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
22 basi mkono wangu na unyofoke toka begani mwangu, nao na uvunjike kutoka kiungio chake.
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
23 Kwa kuwa niliogopa uharibifu kutoka kwa Mungu, nami kwa kuuogopa utukufu wake sikuweza kufanya mambo kama hayo.
Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 “Kama nimeweka tumaini langu kwenye dhahabu, au kuiambia dhahabu safi, ‘Wewe ndiwe salama yangu,’
Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
25 kama nimefurahia wingi wa utajiri wangu, ustawi ambao mikono yangu ilikuwa imepata,
Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
26 kama nimelitazama jua katika kungʼaa kwake au mwezi ukienda kwa fahari yake,
Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
27 hivyo moyo wangu kushawishiwa kwa siri, au kubusu mkono wangu kwa kuviheshimu,
and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
28 basi hiyo pia ingekuwa dhambi ya kuhukumiwa, kwa kuwa ningekuwa si mwaminifu kwa Mungu aishiye juu sana.
This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 “Kama nimeshangilia msiba wa adui yangu, au kutazama kwa furaha taabu iliyomjia,
Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
30 lakini sikuruhusu kinywa changu kufanya dhambi kwa kuomba laana dhidi ya maisha yake;
I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
31 kama watu wa nyumbani mwangu kamwe hawakusema, ‘Ni nani ambaye hajashibishwa na nyama ya Ayubu?’
Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
32 Lakini hakuna mgeni aliyelala njiani, kwa maana mlango wangu ulikuwa wazi kwa msafiri;
I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
33 kama nimeifunika dhambi yangu kama wanadamu wengine wafanyavyo, kwa kuficha hatia yangu moyoni mwangu,
Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
34 kwa sababu ya kuogopa umati wa watu, na hivyo kuwa na hofu ya kudharauliwa na jamaa, nikanyamaza kimya nisitoke nje ya mlango:
Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
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.
Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
36 Hakika ningeyavaa begani mwangu, ningeyavaa kama taji.
I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
37 Ningempa hesabu ya kila hatua yangu, ningemwendea kama mwana wa mfalme.)
I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
38 “Kama nchi yangu inalia dhidi yangu, na mifereji yake yote imelowana kwa machozi,
If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
39 kama nimekula mazao yake bila malipo, au kuvunja mioyo ya wapangaji wake,
if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
40 basi miiba na iote badala ya ngano, na magugu badala ya shayiri.” Mwisho wa maneno ya Ayubu.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
