Ayubu 22
1 Kisha Elifazi Mtemani akajibu na kusema,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 Je mtu anaweza kumfaa Mungu “Je mwenye hekima anaweza kufaa kwake.
“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to 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 you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
4 Je ni kwa sababu ya uchaji wako kwake hata akukemee na kukuadhibu?
Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?
5 Je si kwa sababu ya wingi wa uovu wako? Je hakuna mwisho wa makosa yako?
Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6 Kwa maana umechukua dhamana kutoka kwa ndugu yako bila sababu; umechukua mavazi ya mtu na kumwacha uchi.
For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Haukuwapa wenye kiu maji ya kunywea; umewanyima chakula wenye njaa
You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 japokuwa wewe, mwenye uwezo, uliimiliki nchi, japokuwa wewe, mwenye kuheshimiwa, uliishi ndani yake.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honourable man, he lived in it.
9 Umewaacha wajane waondoke bila kitu; umewatesa yatima.
You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Kwa hiyo, mabaya yanakuzunguka, na hofu za ghafla zinakusumbua.
Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11 Kuna giza, hata usione; gharika inakufunika.
or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12 Je Mungu hayupo juu mbinguni? Anaangalia juu ya nyota, jinsi zilivyo juu!
“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Unasema, 'Mungu anajua nini? Je anaweza kuamua kupitia giza totoro?
You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Mawingu ni kifuniko chake, hata asituone; anatembea anga la mbinguni.'
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
15 Je utayaishi maisha ya zamani walioishi waovu -
Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
16 walioondolewa kabla ya siku zao, ambao misingi yao imeondolewa kama mto,
who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 waliomwambia Mungu, 'Ondoka kwetu'; waliosema, 'Mwenyezi anaweza kututenda nini?
who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
18 Hata hivyo bado alizijaza nyumba zao kwa mema; mipango ya waovu iko mbali nami.
Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Wenye haki wanayaona yawapatayo waovu na kufurahi; wasio na hatia wanawacheka kwa dhihaka.
The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
20 Wanasema, 'Bila shaka walioinuka kinyume chetu wameondolewa; moto umeteketeza mali zao.'
saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
21 Basi patana na Mungu na uwe na amani naye; kwa njia hiyo, mema yatakujia.
“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
22 Nakusihi, pokea, maelekezo yake; uyatii maneno yake.
Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 Ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utajengwa, ukiacha kutenda uovu makaoni mwako.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24 Weka hazina zako mavumbini, dhahabu ya Ofiri kati ya mawe ya vijito,
Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir amongst the stones of the brooks.
25 na Mwenyezi atakuwa hazina zako, fedha ya thamani kwako.
The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26 Nawe utajifurahisha katika Mwenyezi; utamwangalia Mungu.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
27 Utamwomba, naye atakusikiliza; utamtolea nadhiri.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
28 Lakini pia utatamka lolote, nawe utapewa; nuru itaangaza maishani mwako.
You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
29 Mungu humshusha mwenye kiburi, naye humwinua mnyenyekevu.
When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
30 Atamwokoa asiye na hatia; utaokolewa kupitia usafi wa mikono yako.”
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
