Ayubu 14
1 Mwanadamu, ambaye amezaliwa na mwanamke, huishi siku chache tu na amejaa mahangaiko.
Life is short and full of trouble,
2 Yeye huchanua kutoka katika ardhi kama ua na kukatwa chini; yeye hukimbia kama kivuli na hawezi kudumu.
like a flower that blooms and withers, like a passing shadow that soon disappears.
3 Je, wewe unatazama chochote katika hivi? Mnanileta mimi hukumuni pamoja nanyi?
Do you even notice me, God, and why do you have to drag me to court?
4 Ni nani anayeweza kukileta kitu safi kutoka katika kitu kichafu? Hakuna awaye yote.
Who can bring something clean of what is unclean? No one.
5 Siku za mwanadamu zimeamriwa. Idadi ya miezi yake unayo wewe; umekiweka kikomo chake ambacho hawezi kukivuka.
You have determined how long we shall live—the number of months, a time limit on our lives.
6 Tazama mbali kutoka kwake kwamba yeye aweze kupumzika, ili kwamba aweze kufurahia siku yake kama mtu aliyekodishwa kama yeye anaweza kufanya hivyo.
So leave us alone and give us some peace—so like a laborer we could enjoy a few hours of rest at the end of the day.
7 Kunaweza kuwa na tumaini kwa mti; kama ukikatwa chini, unaweza kuchipua tena, hivyo chipukizi lake halitapotea.
Even a tree that's cut down has the hope of sprouting again, of sending up shoots and continuing to live.
8 Japokuwa mizizi yake inakua na kuzeeka katika ardhi, na shina lake kufa katika udongo,
Even though its roots grow old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,
9 hata kama bado lina harufu ya maji pekee, litachipua tena na kutoa nje matawi kama mche.
just a trickle of water will make it bud and grow branches like a young plant.
10 Lakini mwanadamu hufa; yeye huwa dhaifu; haswaa, mwanadamu hukoma kupumua, na tena yuko wapi yeye?
But human beings die, their strength dwindles away; they perish, and where are they then?
11 Kama maji yanavyopotea kutoka ziwani, na kama vile mto upotezavyo maji na kukauka,
Like water evaporating from a lake and a river that dries up and disappears,
12 vivyo hivyo watu hulala chini na hawaamki tena. Mpaka pale mbingu zitakapokuwa hazipo tena, hawataamka wala kuamshwa kutoka katika kulala kwao.
so human beings lie down and don't get up again. Until the heavens cease to exist they will not awake from their sleep.
13 Laiti, kwamba ungenificha mimi mbali katika kuzimu mbali kutoka katika mahangaiko, na kwamba ungenitunza mimi katika siri hadi hasira yake imalizike, kwamba ungeniwekea mimi muda maalumu wa kukaa huko na kisha kuniita mimi katika fahamu! (Sheol h7585)
I wish you would hide me in Sheol; conceal me there until your anger is gone. Set a definite time for me there, and remember me! (Sheol h7585)
14 Ikiwa mwanadamu akifa, yeye ataishi tena? Ikiwa hivyo, ningependa kusubiri kule muda wangu wote wa kuharibika mpaka kufunguliwa kwangu kutakapokuja.
Will the dead live again? Then I would have hope through all my time of trouble until my release comes.
15 Wewe ungeita, na mimi ningekujibu wewe. Wewe ungekuwa na shauku ya kazi ya mikono yako.
You would call and I would answer you; you would long for me, the being that you made.
16 Wewe ungehesabu na kutunza nyayo zangu; Wewe usingejali kumbukumbu ya dhambi yangu.
Then you would look after me and wouldn't be watching me to see if I sinned.
17 Uovu wangu ungetiwa muhuri katika mkoba; wewe ungeufunga uovu wangu.
My sins would be sealed up in a bag and you would cover my guilt.
18 Lakini hata milima huanguka na kuwa si chochote; hata miamba huhamishwa kutoka mahali pake;
But just as the mountains crumble and fall, and the rocks tumble down;
19 maji yaliyokuwa chini ya mawe; kufurika kwake huondoa mbali mavumbi ya nchi. Kama hivi, ninyi mnavyoharibu matumaini ya mwanadamu.
as water wears away the stones, as floods wash away the soil, so you destroy the hope people have.
20 Ninyi daima humshinda yeye, na yeye hupita mbali; Ninyi mnabadilisha uso wake na kumtuma yeye mbali kufa.
You continually overpower them and they pass away; you distort their faces in death and send them away.
21 Kama watoto wake wa kiume ni wa kuheshimiwa, yeye, hatambui hicho; na kama wakishushwa chini, yeye haoni hicho.
Their children may become important or fall from their positions, but they don't know or see any of this.
22 Yeye hujisikia tu maumivu ya mwili wake mwenyewe, na hujiombolezea yeye mwenyewe.
As people die they only know their own pain and are sad for themselves.”
