Eliphaz Speaks
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Ndipo huyo Elifazi Mtemani akajibu, na kusema,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God,
As he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
Je! Yumkini mtu awaye yote kumfaa Mungu? Hakika yeye aliye na hekima hujifaa mwenyewe.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous?
Or is it gain to him , that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Je! Mwenyezi hupata furaha katika wewe kuwa mwenye haki? Au je, ni faida kwake, kwamba wafanya njia zako kuwa timilifu?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee?
Will he enter with thee into judgment?
Je! Ni kwa wewe kumcha yeye anakukemea? Na kuingia hukumuni nawe?
5 Is not thy wickedness great?
And thine iniquities infinite?
Je! Uovu wako si mkuu? Wala maovu yako hayana mwisho.
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
Kwa kuwa umetwaa dhamana kwa nduguyo bure, Na kuwavua nguo zao walio uchi.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,
And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Hukumpa maji ya kunywa huyo aliyechoka, Nawe umemnyima chakula huyo mwenye njaa.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth;
And the honourable man dwelt in it.
Lakini huyo shujaa, nchi ilikuwa yake; Na huyo mwenye kusifiwa, yeye aliikaa.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty,
And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Umewafukuza wanawake wajane hali ya utupu, Na mikono ya mayatima imevunjwa.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee,
And sudden fear troubleth thee;
Kwa hiyo umezungukwa na mitego, Na hofu ya ghafula yakutaabisha,
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see;
And abundance of waters cover thee.
Au je! Huoni giza, Na maji mengi yanayokufunika?
12 Is not God in the height of heaven?
And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Je! Mungu hayuko mbinguni juu? Tena tazama umbali wa nyota, jinsi zilivyo juu!
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know?
Can he judge through the dark cloud?
Nawe wasema, Mungu anajua nini? Je! Aweza kuamua kati ya giza kuu?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not;
And he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
Mawingu mazito ni kifuniko chake, hata asione; Naye yuatembea juu ya kuba ya mbingu.
15 Hast thou marked the old way
Which wicked men have trodden?
Je! Utaiandama njia ya zamani Waliyoikanyaga watu waovu?
16 Which were cut down out of time,
Whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Ambao walinyakuliwa kabla ya wakati wao, Msingi wao ulimwagika kama kijito cha maji;
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us:
And what can the Almighty do for them?
Waliomwambia Mungu, Tuondokee; Tena, Huyo Mwenyezi aweza kutufanyia nini?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things:
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Naye ndiye aliyezijaza nyumba zao vitu vyema; Lakini mashauri ya waovu na yawe mbali nami.
19 The righteous see it , and are glad:
And the innocent laugh them to scorn.
Wenye haki huyaona hayo wakafurahi; Nao wasio na hatia huwacheka;
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down,
But the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
Wasema, Hakika hao waliotuinukia wamekatiliwa mbali, Na mabaki yao moto umeyateketeza.
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace:
Thereby good shall come unto thee.
Mjue sana Mungu, ili uwe na amani; Ndivyo mema yatakavyokujia.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth,
And lay up his words in thine heart.
Uyapokee, tafadhali, mafunzo yatokayo kinywani mwake, Na maneno yake yaweke moyoni mwako.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up,
Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Ukimrudia Mwenyezi, utajengwa; Ukiuondoa udhalimu mbali na hema yako.
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust,
And the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Nawe hazina zako ziweke mchangani, Na dhahabu ya Ofiri iweke kati ya mawe ya vijito;
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence,
And thou shalt have plenty of silver.
Naye Mwenyezi atakuwa hazina yako, Atakuwa ni fedha ya thamani kwako.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty,
And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Kwani ndipo utakapojifurahisha katika Mwenyezi, Na kuinua uso wako kumwelekea Mungu.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee,
And thou shalt pay thy vows.
Utamwomba yeye naye atakusikia; Nawe utazitimiliza nadhiri zako.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee:
And the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Nawe utakusudia neno, nalo litathibitika kwako; Na mwanga utaziangazia njia zako.
29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, there is lifting up;
And he shall save the humble person.
Hapo watakapokuangusha, utasema, Kuna kuinuka tena; Naye mnyenyekevu Mungu atamwokoa.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent:
And it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Atamwokoa na huyo asiye na hatia; Naam, utaokolewa kwa sababu ya usafi wa mikono yako.
