Ayubu 41
1 “Je, waweza kumvua Lewiathani kwa ndoano ya samaki, au kufunga ulimi wake kwa kamba?
“[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
2 Waweza kupitisha kamba puani mwake, au kutoboa taya lake kwa kulabu?
Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
3 Je, ataendelea kukuomba umhurumie? Atasema nawe maneno ya upole?
Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
4 Je, atafanya agano nawe ili umtwae awe mtumishi wako maisha yake yote?
Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
5 Je, utamfuga na kumfanya rafiki kama ndege, au kumfunga kamba kwa ajili ya wasichana wako?
Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
6 Je, wafanyabiashara watabadilishana bidhaa kwa ajili yake? Watamgawanya miongoni mwa wafanyao biashara?
Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
7 Je, waweza kuijaza ngozi yake kwa vyuma vyenye ncha kali, au kichwa chake kwa mkuki wa kuvulia samaki?
Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
8 Kama ukiweka mkono wako juu yake, utavikumbuka hivyo vita na kamwe hutarudia tena!
If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
9 Tumaini lolote la kumtiisha ni kujidanganya; kule kumwona tu kunamwangusha mtu chini.
It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
10 Hakuna yeyote aliye mkali athubutuye kumchokoza. Ni nani basi awezaye kusimama dhidi yangu?
No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
11 Ni nani mwenye madai dhidi yangu ili nipate kumlipa? Kila kitu kilicho chini ya mbingu ni mali yangu.
Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
12 “Sitashindwa kunena juu ya maungo yake, nguvu zake na umbo lake zuri.
I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
13 Ni nani awezaye kumvua gamba lake la nje? Ni nani awezaye kumsogelea na lijamu?
(Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
14 Nani athubutuye kuufungua mlango wa kinywa chake, kilichozungukwa na meno yake ya kutisha pande zote?
(Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
15 Mgongo wake una safu za ngao zilizoshikamanishwa imara pamoja;
They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
16 kila moja iko karibu sana na mwenzake, wala hakuna hewa iwezayo kupita kati yake.
The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
17 Zimeunganishwa imara kila moja na nyingine; zimengʼangʼaniana pamoja wala haziwezi kutenganishwa.
The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
18 Akipiga chafya mwanga humetameta; macho yake ni kama mionzi ya mapambazuko.
When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
19 Mienge iwakayo humiminika kutoka kinywani mwake; cheche za moto huruka nje.
[It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
20 Moshi hufuka kutoka puani mwake, kama kutoka kwenye chungu kinachotokota kwa moto wa matete.
Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
21 Pumzi yake huwasha makaa ya mawe, nayo miali ya moto huruka kutoka kinywani mwake.
Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
22 Nguvu hukaa katika shingo yake; utisho hutangulia mbele yake.
Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
23 Mikunjo ya nyama yake imeshikamana imara pamoja; iko imara na haiwezi kuondolewa.
The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
24 Kifua chake ni kigumu kama mwamba, kigumu kama jiwe la chini la kusagia.
[They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
25 Ainukapo, mashujaa wanaogopa; hurudi nyuma mbele yake anapokwenda kwa kishindo.
When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
26 Upanga unaomfikia haumdhuru, wala mkuki au mshale wala fumo.
[People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
27 Chuma hukiona kama unyasi, na shaba kama mti uliooza.
They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
28 Mishale haimfanyi yeye akimbie; mawe ya kombeo kwake ni kama makapi.
[Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
29 Rungu kwake huwa kama kipande cha jani kavu; hucheka sauti za kugongana kwa mkuki.
They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
30 Sehemu zake za chini kwenye tumbo zina menomeno na mapengo kama vigae vya chungu, zikiacha mburuzo kwenye matope kama chombo chenye meno cha kupuria.
Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
31 Huvisukasuka vilindi kama sufuria kubwa ichemkayo, na kukoroga bahari kama chungu cha marhamu.
They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
32 Anapopita nyuma yake huacha mkondo unaometameta; mtu angedhani vilindi vilikuwa na mvi.
As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
33 Hakuna chochote duniani kinacholingana naye: yeye ni kiumbe kisicho na woga.
There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
34 Yeye huwatazama chini wale wote wenye kujivuna; yeye ni mfalme juu ya wote wenye kiburi.”
They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
