Ayubu 28
1 Hakika kuna machimbo ya fedha, wanaposafisha dhahabu.
“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
2 Chuma uchimbwa; shaba uyeyushwa kutoka katika jiwe.
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 Mtu anaondoa giza na kutafuta, katika mpaka wa mbali, mawe hayaonekani na giza totoro.
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4 Huchimba shimo mbali na makazi ya watu, mahali pasipopitwa na mtu. Huning'inia mbali na watu; uharakisha kwenda na kurudi.
They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
5 Kwa nchi, kizalishwapo chakula, inapinduliwa kama kwa moto.
Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6 Mawe yake yana johari, na vumbi lake lina dhahabu.
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 Hata ndege mwindaji hapajui, wala jicho la kipanga halijapaona.
[Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8 Ndege mwenye majivuna hajawai kuiona njia hiyo, wala simba mkali kupita pale.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 Mtu huchimba mwamba mgumu; hupindua milima katika vyanzo vyake.
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 Huweka njia katika miamba; macho yake pale kila kilicho cha thamani.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 Hufunga vyanzo hata wasiondoke; kilichofichika pale hukifunua.
They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
12 Hekima itakuwa wapi? Mahali pa ufahamu ni wapi?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 Mtu hafahamu thamani yake; wala haipatikani katika nchi ya walio hai.
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 Vilindi vya maji chini ya nchi husema, 'Haiko kwangu'; bahari husema, 'Haipo pamoja nami.'
[It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15 Hainunuliwi kwa dhahabu; wala hailinganishwi na fedha.
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 Haiwezi kuthamanishwa na dhahabu ya Ofiri, kwa jiwe jeusi la thamani au johari.
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 Dhahabu na fuwele hailingani nayo kwa thamani; wala haiwezi kubadilishwa kwa vito vya dhahabu safi.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Hailinganishwi na marijani wala yaspi; hakika, thamani ya hekima inapita madini ya rubi.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 Topazi ya Ethiopia hailinganishwi nayo; wala kuthamanishwa kwa dhahabu safi.
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 Je hekima inatoka wapi? Mahali pa ufahamu ni wapi?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 Hekima imejificha mbali na macho ya viumbe wote na ndege wa angani.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Mauti na uharibifu husema, 'Tumesikia tu tetesi kwa masikio yetu.'
[It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
23 Mungu hufahamu njia ya kuipata; anapafahamu ilipo.
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 Kwani uona miisho yote ya dunia na huona chini ya mbingu zote.
because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25 Hapo kale, alifanya nguvu za upepo na kuyagawanya maji kwa kipimo.
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 Aliiwekea mvua tamko na njia ya radi na munguromo.
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 Kisha akaiona hekima na kuitangaza; aliianzisha, bila shaka, na kuipima.
at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
28 Aliwambia watu, 'Tazameni, kumcha Bwana - ni hekima; kuacha uovu ni ufahamu.”
And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
