Ayubu 24
1 Kwa nini nyakati za kuwahukumu waovu hazikuwekwa na Mwenyezi? Kwa nini siyo wale waliowaaminifu kwa Mungu huziona siku za hukumu zikija?
Why are times for judging wicked people not set by the Almighty? Why do not those who are faithful to God see his days of judgment come?
2 Kuna waovu waondoao alama za mipaka; kuna waovu walichukua kundi kwa nguvu na kulifanya lao.
There are wicked people who remove boundary markers; there are wicked people who take away flocks by force and put them in their own pastures.
3 Wanawadhurumu wanyonge punda wao; wanachukua ng'ombe wa mjane kuwa dhamana.
They drive away the donkey of those without fathers; they take the widow's ox as security.
4 Wanawaondoa wahitaji katika njia zao kwa lazima; masikini wa dunia yote wanajificha kutoka kwao.
They force needy people out of their path; poor people of the earth all hide themselves from them.
5 Tazama, masikini hawa huenda kufanya kazi kama punda-mwitu mwituni, akitafuta chakula kwa uangalifu; pengine Araba itawapatia chakula kwa ajili ya watoto wao.
See, these poor people go out to their work like wild donkeys in the wilderness, looking carefully for food; perhaps the Arabah will provide them food for their children.
6 Masikini huvuna katika mashamba ya wengine usiku; wanakusanya zabibu kidogo kutokana na mapato ya waovu.
Poor people reap in the night in other people's fields; they glean grapes from the harvest of those wicked people.
7 Wana lala bila kujifunika wakati wa usiku; hawana cha kujifunika wakati wa baridi.
They lie naked all night without clothing; they have no covering in the cold.
8 Wanalowanishwa na mvua ya milimani; wanalala pembeni mwa miamba mikubwa kwani hawana makao.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains; they lie next to large rocks because they have no shelter.
9 Kuna waovu wanaowapokonya yatima katika kifua cha mama zao, na waovu wawachukuao watoto kama dhamana kutoka kwa masikini.
There are wicked people who pluck orphans from their mothers' breast, and wicked people who take children as security from poor people.
10 Lakini masikini wanatembea uchi; wajapokaa na njaa, wanabebea wengine chakula.
But the poor people go about naked without clothing; although they go hungry, they carry bundles of grain belonging to other people.
11 Masikini wanazalisha vinono ndani ya nyumba za waovu; wanakanyaga mashinikizo ya waovu, lakini wanakiu.
The poor people make oil within the walls of those wicked men; they tread the wicked men's winepresses, but they themselves suffer thirst.
12 Watu wananung'unika mjini; waliojeruhiwa wanaomboleza, lakini Mungu hasikilizi maombi yao.
From out of the city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries out for help. But God does not ascribe blame
13 Baadhi ya waovu hawa wanaiasi nuru; hawafahamu njia zake, wala kukaa katika njia zake.
Some of these wicked people rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor do they stay in its paths.
14 Muaji huinuka na nuru; huuwa masikini na waitaji; ni kama mwizi wakati wa usiku.
Before daylight the murderer rises and he kills poor and needy people; in the night he is like a thief.
15 Pia, mzinifu hungoja wakati wa usiku; husema, 'Hakuna anionaye.' Hujibadilisha.
Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight; he says, 'No eye will see me.' He disguises his face.
16 Waovu huingia katika nyumba gizani, lakini hujifungia wakati wa mchana; hawajari nuru.
In the darkness wicked people dig into houses; but they shut themselves up in the daytime; they do not care for the light.
17 Kwa kuwa asubuhi kwao wote ni kama giza totoro; wanaamani na vitisho vya giza totoro.
For all of them, thick darkness is like the morning; for they are friends with the terrors of thick darkness.
18 Wanapotea polepole, lakini, kama povu juu ya maji; shamba lao limelaaniwa; hakuna anayekwenda kufanya kazi katika mashamba yao ya mizabibu.
Swiftly they pass away, however, like foam on the surface of the waters; their portion of the land is cursed; no one goes to work in their vineyards.
19 Kiangazi na joto huondoa barafu; ndivyo kuzimu pia kunavyowaaribu waliotenda dhambi. (Sheol h7585)
As drought and heat melt away the snow into waters, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Mama yake atamsahau; polepole funza watamuuma; hatakumbukwa tena; kwa hiyo, waovu watavunjika kama mti.
The womb that bore him will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be remembered no more; in this way, wickedness will be broken like a tree.
21 Mwovu anamrarua mgumba; hawatendi jema lolote kwa mjane.
The wicked one devours the barren women who have not borne children; he does no good to the widow.
22 Bado Mungu huwaondoa wenye nguvu kwa nguvu zake; huinuka na kuwadhoofisha.
Yet God drags away the mighty people by his power; he rises up and does not strengthen them in life.
23 Mungu huwaacha wajione wako salama, na wanalifurahia hilo, lakini anayaangalia maisha yao.
God allows them to think they are secure, and they are happy about that, but his eyes are on their ways.
24 Watu hawa wanatukuzwa; bado, kitambo tu, watapotea; hakika, watashushwa; watakusanywa kama wengine wote; wataondolewa kama sehemu ya juu ya masikio ya nafaka.
These people are exalted; still, in only a little while, they will be gone; indeed, they will be brought low; they will be gathered up like all the others; they will be cut off like the tops of ears of grain.
25 Ikiwa sivyo, nani atanithibitisha kuwa mwongo; atakaye fanya maneno yangu kuwa si kitu?”
If it is not so, who can prove me to be a liar; who can make my speech worth nothing?”
