< Ayubu 31 >
1 Nimefanya patano na macho yangu; ni kwa namna gani tena napaswa kumtazama mwanamwali kwa tamaa?
A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what — do I attend to a virgin?
2 Ni sehemu gani kutoka kwa Mungu juu, na urithi gani kutoka kwake mwenye nguvu aliye juu?
And what [is] the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?
3 Nilikuwa nafikiri kwamba majanga ni kwa watu wasio na haki, na misiba ni kwa ajili ya watu watendao mabaya.
Is not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?
4 Je Mungu hazioni njia zangu na kuzihesabu hatua zangu zote?
Doth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?
5 Kama nimetembea katika udanganyifu, kama mguu wangu umeharakisha katika uongo,
If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,
6 na nipimwe katika vipimo vilivyo sawa ili kwamba Mungu aujue uadilifu wangu.
He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth know 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 my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,
8 na kisha mimi nipande na mtu mwingine na ale; mavuno na yang'olewe katika shamba langu.
Let me sow — and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.
9 Na kama moyo wangu umevutiwa na mwanamke mwingine, ikiwa nimelala na mke wa jirani yangu katika hali ya kusubiria katika mlango wake,
If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,
10 na ndipo mke wangu na asage nafaka kwa mwanaume mwingine, na wanaume wengine na walale naye.
Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.
11 Na kwa hilo litakuwa ni kosa kubwa; kwa kweli, utakuwa ni uovu wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi.
For it [is] a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;
12 Kwa kuwa ni moto ambao unateketeza kila kitu kwa uharibifu, na kwamba utaunguza mavuno yangu yote.
For a fire it [is], to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,
13 Ikiwa nilikataa ombi la haki kutoka kwa watumishi wangu wa kiume na wa kike wakati walipohojiana nami,
If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,
14 kisha nini basi ningefanya wakati Mungu anapoinuka ili kunishitaki mimi? Atakapokuja kunihukumu, nitamjibuje?
Then what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do I answer Him?
15 Je yeye aliyenifanya mimi tumboni hakuwafanya wao pia? Je yeye si yeye yule aliyetuumba sisi wote katika tumbo?
Did not He that made me in the womb make him? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.
16 kama nimewanyima watu masikini matakwa yao, au kama nimesababisha macho ya wajane yafifie kwa kulia,
If I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,
17 au ikiwa kama nimekula kipande changu na sijawaruhusu wale wasio na baba kukila pia -
And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,
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.
(But from my youth He grew up with me as [with] a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)
19 ikiwa nimemwona yeyote akiangamia kwa kwa kukosa mavazi, au kama nimemwona mtu mhitaji akiwa hana nguo;
If I see [any] perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,
20 ikiwa moyo wake haujanibariki kwasababu amekuwa hajatiwa joto na sufu ya kondoo zangu,
If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,
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 have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in [him] the gate of my court,
22 Ndipo bega langu na lianguake kutoka katika sehemu yake, na mkono wangu uvunjike katika kiungo chake.
My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.
23 Kwa kuwa niliogopa uharibifu kutoka kwa Mungu; kwasababu ya mawazo ya ukuu wake, nisingeweza kufanya mambo hayo.
For a dread unto me [is] calamity [from] God, And because of His excellency I am not able.
24 Kama ningeifanya dhahabu kuwa tumaini langu, na kama ningesema kwa dhahabu safi, 'wewe unanifanya kuwa na tumaini';
If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, 'My trust,'
25 na kama nimefurahi kwasababu ya utajiri wangu ulikuwa mkubwa, kwa kuwa mkono wangu umepata mali nyingi, na kisha kuleta mashitaka dhidi yangu!
If I rejoice because great [is] my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,
26 Ikiwa nimeliona jua lilipowaka, au mwezi ukitembea katika mng'ao wake,
If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,
27 na kama moyo wangu umevutwa kwa siri, ili kwamba mdomo wangu umeubusu mkono wangu katika ibada yao -
And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,
28 hili nalo pia lingekuwa ni ubaya wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi, kwa kuwa ningekuwa nimemkana Mungu aliyejuu.
It also [is] a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.
29 Ikiwa nimefurahia uharibifu wa yeyote ambaye ananichukia mimi, au kuwapa hongera wakati majanga yanapowapata, ndipo ulete mashitaka dhidi yangu!
If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him,
30 Kwa kweli sijauruhusu hata mdomo wangu kutenda dhambi kwa kuuomba uhai wake kwa laana.
Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.
31 Ikiwa watu wa hema yangu hawajasema,' Nani aweza kumpata mtu ambaye hayashibishwa na chakula cha Ayubu?
If not — say ye, O men of my tent, 'O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'
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!
In the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.
33 Ikiwa, kama binadamu nimezificha dhambi zangu kwa kuficha hatia ndani ya kanzu yangu -
If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,
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!
Because I fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.
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!
Who giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.
36 Hakika ningelibeba hadharani juu ya bega langu; ningeliweka juu kama taji.
If not — on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.
37 Ningemweleza hesabu ya hatua zangu; na kama mwana wa mfalme mwenye kujiamini ningepanda kwenda kwake.
The number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.
38 Kama nchi yangu ingelia dhidi yangu, na matuta yake yaomboleza pamoja,
If against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,
39 ikiwa nimekula mavuno yake bila kulipia au kama nimesababisha wamiliki wake kupoteza maisha yao,
If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
40 ndipo miiba na iote badala ya ngano na magugu badala ya shayiri.” Maneno ya Ayubu yamemalizika.
Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.