Ayubu 31
1 Nimefanya patano na macho yangu; ni kwa namna gani tena napaswa kumtazama mwanamwali kwa tamaa?
I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
2 Ni sehemu gani kutoka kwa Mungu juu, na urithi gani kutoka kwake mwenye nguvu aliye juu?
What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
3 Nilikuwa nafikiri kwamba majanga ni kwa watu wasio na haki, na misiba ni kwa ajili ya watu watendao mabaya.
Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
4 Je Mungu hazioni njia zangu na kuzihesabu hatua zangu zote?
Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
5 Kama nimetembea katika udanganyifu, kama mguu wangu umeharakisha katika uongo,
Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
6 na nipimwe katika vipimo vilivyo sawa ili kwamba Mungu aujue uadilifu wangu.
No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 Kama hatua zangu zimegeuka kutoka katika njia sahihi, kama moyo wangu umetembea kwa kufuata macho yangu, na kama doa lolote la uchafu limeng'ang'ania katika mikono yangu,
If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
8 na kisha mimi nipande na mtu mwingine na ale; mavuno na yang'olewe katika shamba langu.
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
9 Na kama moyo wangu umevutiwa na mwanamke mwingine, ikiwa nimelala na mke wa jirani yangu katika hali ya kusubiria katika mlango wake,
If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
10 na ndipo mke wangu na asage nafaka kwa mwanaume mwingine, na wanaume wengine na walale naye.
then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
11 Na kwa hilo litakuwa ni kosa kubwa; kwa kweli, utakuwa ni uovu wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi.
For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
12 Kwa kuwa ni moto ambao unateketeza kila kitu kwa uharibifu, na kwamba utaunguza mavuno yangu yote.
for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
13 Ikiwa nilikataa ombi la haki kutoka kwa watumishi wangu wa kiume na wa kike wakati walipohojiana nami,
If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
14 kisha nini basi ningefanya wakati Mungu anapoinuka ili kunishitaki mimi? Atakapokuja kunihukumu, nitamjibuje?
what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
15 Je yeye aliyenifanya mimi tumboni hakuwafanya wao pia? Je yeye si yeye yule aliyetuumba sisi wote katika tumbo?
Didn't the same God make all of us?
16 kama nimewanyima watu masikini matakwa yao, au kama nimesababisha macho ya wajane yafifie kwa kulia,
Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
17 au ikiwa kama nimekula kipande changu na sijawaruhusu wale wasio na baba kukila pia -
Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
18 kwasababu tangu ujana wangu yatima walikua pamoja nami kama kuwa na baba, nami nimemwongoza mama yake, mjane, tangu katika tumbo la mama yangu mwenyewe.
From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
19 ikiwa nimemwona yeyote akiangamia kwa kwa kukosa mavazi, au kama nimemwona mtu mhitaji akiwa hana nguo;
If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
20 ikiwa moyo wake haujanibariki kwasababu amekuwa hajatiwa joto na sufu ya kondoo zangu,
they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 ikiwa nimeinua juu mkono wangu kinyume na watu wasio na baba kwa kuwa niliona msaada wangu katika lango la mji, na kisha kuleta mashitaka dhidi yangu.
If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
22 Ndipo bega langu na lianguake kutoka katika sehemu yake, na mkono wangu uvunjike katika kiungo chake.
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
23 Kwa kuwa niliogopa uharibifu kutoka kwa Mungu; kwasababu ya mawazo ya ukuu wake, nisingeweza kufanya mambo hayo.
Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 Kama ningeifanya dhahabu kuwa tumaini langu, na kama ningesema kwa dhahabu safi, 'wewe unanifanya kuwa na tumaini';
Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
25 na kama nimefurahi kwasababu ya utajiri wangu ulikuwa mkubwa, kwa kuwa mkono wangu umepata mali nyingi, na kisha kuleta mashitaka dhidi yangu!
Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
26 Ikiwa nimeliona jua lilipowaka, au mwezi ukitembea katika mng'ao wake,
Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
27 na kama moyo wangu umevutwa kwa siri, ili kwamba mdomo wangu umeubusu mkono wangu katika ibada yao -
and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
28 hili nalo pia lingekuwa ni ubaya wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi, kwa kuwa ningekuwa nimemkana Mungu aliyejuu.
This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 Ikiwa nimefurahia uharibifu wa yeyote ambaye ananichukia mimi, au kuwapa hongera wakati majanga yanapowapata, ndipo ulete mashitaka dhidi yangu!
Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
30 Kwa kweli sijauruhusu hata mdomo wangu kutenda dhambi kwa kuuomba uhai wake kwa laana.
I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
31 Ikiwa watu wa hema yangu hawajasema,' Nani aweza kumpata mtu ambaye hayashibishwa na chakula cha Ayubu?
Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
32 (hata mgeni hajawahi kukaa katika pembe ya mji, kwa kuwa siku zote nimefungua milango yangu kwa ajili ya wasafiri), na kama haiko hivyo, ndipo mlete mashitaka kinyume nami!
I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
33 Ikiwa, kama binadamu nimezificha dhambi zangu kwa kuficha hatia ndani ya kanzu yangu -
Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
34 kwa kuwa niliogopa kusanyiko kubwa, kwasababu ya matwezo ya familia yaliniogopesha, hivyo basi nilinyamaza kimya na sikuweza kwenda nje, basi nileteni mashitaka dhidi yangu!
Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
35 Ee, kama nilikuwa na mtu wa kunisikiliza! Ona, hii ni saini yangu; na Mwenye nguvu na anijibu! Ikiwa nilikuwa na shitaka rasmi ambalo adui yangu ameliandika!
Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
36 Hakika ningelibeba hadharani juu ya bega langu; ningeliweka juu kama taji.
I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
37 Ningemweleza hesabu ya hatua zangu; na kama mwana wa mfalme mwenye kujiamini ningepanda kwenda kwake.
I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
38 Kama nchi yangu ingelia dhidi yangu, na matuta yake yaomboleza pamoja,
If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
39 ikiwa nimekula mavuno yake bila kulipia au kama nimesababisha wamiliki wake kupoteza maisha yao,
if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
40 ndipo miiba na iote badala ya ngano na magugu badala ya shayiri.” Maneno ya Ayubu yamemalizika.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
