Ayubu 22
1 Kisha Elifazi Mtemani akajibu na kusema,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 Je mtu anaweza kumfaa Mungu “Je mwenye hekima anaweza kufaa kwake.
Can a man, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth himself.
3 Je inafurahisha kwa Mwenyezi ikiwa u mwenye haki? Je ni faida yake ukiyafanya safi maisha yako?
Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
4 Je ni kwa sababu ya uchaji wako kwake hata akukemee na kukuadhibu?
Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Je si kwa sababu ya wingi wa uovu wako? Je hakuna mwisho wa makosa yako?
Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
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 brother unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing.
7 Haukuwapa wenye kiu maji ya kunywea; umewanyima chakula wenye njaa
Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry.
8 japokuwa wewe, mwenye uwezo, uliimiliki nchi, japokuwa wewe, mwenye kuheshimiwa, uliishi ndani yake.
But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 Umewaacha wajane waondoke bila kitu; umewatesa yatima.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, And broken the arms of the fatherless.
10 Kwa hiyo, mabaya yanakuzunguka, na hofu za ghafla zinakusumbua.
Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear confoundeth thee;
11 Kuna giza, hata usione; gharika inakufunika.
Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water cover thee.
12 Je Mungu hayupo juu mbinguni? Anaangalia juu ya nyota, jinsi zilivyo juu!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the stars, how high they are!
13 Unasema, 'Mungu anajua nini? Je anaweza kuamua kupitia giza totoro?
Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
14 Mawingu ni kifuniko chake, hata asituone; anatembea anga la mbinguni.'
Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.”
15 Je utayaishi maisha ya zamani walioishi waovu -
Wilt thou take the old way Which wicked men have trodden,
16 walioondolewa kabla ya siku zao, ambao misingi yao imeondolewa kama mto,
Who were cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 waliomwambia Mungu, 'Ondoka kwetu'; waliosema, 'Mwenyezi anaweza kututenda nini?
Who said unto God, “Depart from us!” And, “What can the Almighty do to us?”
18 Hata hivyo bado alizijaza nyumba zao kwa mema; mipango ya waovu iko mbali nami.
And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be the counsel of the wicked!
19 Wenye haki wanayaona yawapatayo waovu na kufurahi; wasio na hatia wanawacheka kwa dhihaka.
The righteous see their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision.
20 Wanasema, 'Bila shaka walioinuka kinyume chetu wameondolewa; moto umeteketeza mali zao.'
“Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!”
21 Basi patana na Mungu na uwe na amani naye; kwa njia hiyo, mema yatakujia.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thus shall prosperity return to thee.
22 Nakusihi, pokea, maelekezo yake; uyatii maneno yake.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utajengwa, ukiacha kutenda uovu makaoni mwako.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up; If thou put away iniquity from thy tent.
24 Weka hazina zako mavumbini, dhahabu ya Ofiri kati ya mawe ya vijito,
Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
25 na Mwenyezi atakuwa hazina zako, fedha ya thamani kwako.
Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
26 Nawe utajifurahisha katika Mwenyezi; utamwangalia Mungu.
For then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Utamwomba, naye atakusikiliza; utamtolea nadhiri.
Thou shalt pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows.
28 Lakini pia utatamka lolote, nawe utapewa; nuru itaangaza maishani mwako.
The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with thee, And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Mungu humshusha mwenye kiburi, naye humwinua mnyenyekevu.
When men are cast down, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save.
30 Atamwokoa asiye na hatia; utaokolewa kupitia usafi wa mikono yako.”
He will deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.
