Ayubu 41
1 Je waweza kumvua mamba kwa ndoano ya samaki? Au kumfunga taya zake kwa kamba?
“[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
2 Je waweza kuweka kamba katika pua zake, au kumtoboa taya yake kwa ndoano?
Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
3 Je atafanya maombi mengi kwako? Je atazungumza na wewe kwa maneno laini?
Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
4 Je atafanya agano na wewe, ili kwamba umchukue kwa ajili ya mtumishi milele?
Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
5 Je utacheza pamoja naye kama ambavyo ungecheza na ndege? Je utamfunga kwa ajili ya mtumishi wako wa kike?
Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
6 Je makundi ya wavuvi waweza kumfanyia biashara? Je watamgawanya ili kufanya biashara miongoni mwa wafanya biashara?
Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
7 Je waweza kuijaza ngozi yake kwa vyusa au kichwa chake kwa mikuki ya kuvulia?
Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
8 Weka mkono wako juu yake mara moja, nawe utaikumbuka vita na hautaendelea kufanya hivyo tena.
If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
9 Tazama, matumaini ya kila mtu ambaye hufanya hivyo ni uongo; je si kila mmoja atatupwa chini katika nchi mbele yake?
It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
10 Hakuna aliye mkali ambaye aweza kuthubutu kumtikisa mamba; Ni nani basi awezaye kusimama mbele yake?
No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
11 Ni nani kwanza aliyenipa kitu chochote ili kwamba niweze kumlipa? Chochote kilicho chini ya anga ni changu.
Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
12 Sitanyamaza kimya kuhusu miguu ya mamba, wala kuhusu jambo linalohusu nguvu zake, wala kuhusu umbo lake zuri.
I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
13 Nani awezaye kuiondoa ngozi yake? Nani anaweza kumchoma kwa silaha mara mbili?
(Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
14 Nani awezaye kuifungua milango ya uso wake, imezungukwa na meno yake ambayo yanaogofya?
(Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
15 Mgongo wake umefanywa kwa magamba yenye mistari, yamefungwa kwa pamoja kama chapa.
They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
16 Moja li karibu na jingine na ya kuwa hakuna hewa inaweza kupita katikati yake.
The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
17 Yameunganishwa moja kwa jingine; yamegandamana kwa pamoja, ili kwamba hayawezi kutenganishwa.
The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
18 Mwanga hung'ara kutoka katika kupumua kwake; macho yake ni kama kope za mapambazuko ya asubuhi.
When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
19 Ndani ya mdomo wake hutoka miali ya mwanga, chembe za moto huruka nje.
[It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
20 Katika pua zake hutoka moshi kama chungu kinachotokota juu ya moto ambao umechochewa ili uwe na joto sana.
Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
21 Pumzi yake huwasha mkaa na kuwa mwali; moto hutoka katika mdomo wake.
Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
22 Katika shingo yake kuna nguvu, na kitisho hucheza mbele yake.
Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
23 Nofu za mwili wake zimeunganishwa pamoja; ziko imara katika yeye; wala haziwezi kuondolewa.
The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
24 Moyo wake ni mgumu kama jiwe - hakika, ni mgumu kama jiwe la chini la kusagia.
[They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
25 Na anaposimama mwenyewe, hata miungu huogopa; hurudi nyuma kwasababu ya hofu.
When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
26 Na ikiwa atapigwa kwa upanga, hauwezi kumfanya kitu chochote, wala mkuki, wala mshale, wala aina yoyote ya silaha iliyochongoka.
[People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
27 Yeye hufikiri juu ya chuma kana kwamba ni majani makavu na hufikiri juu ya fedha kana kwamba ni ubao uliooza.
They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
28 Mshale hauwezi akamfanya akimbie; kwake yeye mawe ya kombeo huwa kama makapi.
[Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
29 Marungu huyaangalia kama majani makavu; yeye hucheka juu ya mkuki unaovuma.
They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
30 Sehemu zake za chini zi kama vipande vilivyochongoka vya vyungu; huacha alama zilizosambaa katika udongo kana kwamba alikuwa ni chombo cha kusagia.
Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
31 Yeye hukifanya kilindi kichemke kama chungu cha maji ya moto; huifanya bahari kama chungu cha lihamu.
They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
32 Yeye huifanya njia ing'are nyuma yake; mtu mmoja angedhani kilindi kuwa cheupe.
As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
33 Hakuna cha kumlinganisha juu ya dunia, ambaye yeye alikuwa ameumbwa kuishi pasipo hofu.
There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
34 Hukiona kila kitu chenye kiburi; yeye ni mfalme juu ya wana wote wa kiburi.”
They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
