Ayubu 22
1 Kisha Elifazi Mtemani akajibu na kusema,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 Je mtu anaweza kumfaa Mungu “Je mwenye hekima anaweza kufaa kwake.
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
3 Je inafurahisha kwa Mwenyezi ikiwa u mwenye haki? Je ni faida yake ukiyafanya safi maisha yako?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Je ni kwa sababu ya uchaji wako kwake hata akukemee na kukuadhibu?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Je si kwa sababu ya wingi wa uovu wako? Je hakuna mwisho wa makosa yako?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
6 Kwa maana umechukua dhamana kutoka kwa ndugu yako bila sababu; umechukua mavazi ya mtu na kumwacha uchi.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Haukuwapa wenye kiu maji ya kunywea; umewanyima chakula wenye njaa
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 japokuwa wewe, mwenye uwezo, uliimiliki nchi, japokuwa wewe, mwenye kuheshimiwa, uliishi ndani yake.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 Umewaacha wajane waondoke bila kitu; umewatesa yatima.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Kwa hiyo, mabaya yanakuzunguka, na hofu za ghafla zinakusumbua.
Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 Kuna giza, hata usione; gharika inakufunika.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
12 Je Mungu hayupo juu mbinguni? Anaangalia juu ya nyota, jinsi zilivyo juu!
Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 Unasema, 'Mungu anajua nini? Je anaweza kuamua kupitia giza totoro?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
14 Mawingu ni kifuniko chake, hata asituone; anatembea anga la mbinguni.'
Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Je utayaishi maisha ya zamani walioishi waovu -
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 walioondolewa kabla ya siku zao, ambao misingi yao imeondolewa kama mto,
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17 waliomwambia Mungu, 'Ondoka kwetu'; waliosema, 'Mwenyezi anaweza kututenda nini?
Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Hata hivyo bado alizijaza nyumba zao kwa mema; mipango ya waovu iko mbali nami.
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19 Wenye haki wanayaona yawapatayo waovu na kufurahi; wasio na hatia wanawacheka kwa dhihaka.
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 Wanasema, 'Bila shaka walioinuka kinyume chetu wameondolewa; moto umeteketeza mali zao.'
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Basi patana na Mungu na uwe na amani naye; kwa njia hiyo, mema yatakujia.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Nakusihi, pokea, maelekezo yake; uyatii maneno yake.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
23 Ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utajengwa, ukiacha kutenda uovu makaoni mwako.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 Weka hazina zako mavumbini, dhahabu ya Ofiri kati ya mawe ya vijito,
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 na Mwenyezi atakuwa hazina zako, fedha ya thamani kwako.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 Nawe utajifurahisha katika Mwenyezi; utamwangalia Mungu.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 Utamwomba, naye atakusikiliza; utamtolea nadhiri.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Lakini pia utatamka lolote, nawe utapewa; nuru itaangaza maishani mwako.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 Mungu humshusha mwenye kiburi, naye humwinua mnyenyekevu.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 Atamwokoa asiye na hatia; utaokolewa kupitia usafi wa mikono yako.”
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
