1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this ,
Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
Tazama, jicho langu limeyaona hayo yote, Sikio langu limeyasikia na kuelewa nayo.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also:
I am not inferior unto you.
Hayo myajuayo ninyi, na mimi pia nayajua; Mimi si duni kuliko ninyi.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
Hakika ningenena naye huyo Mwenyezi, Nami nataka kuhojiana na Mungu.
4 But ye are forgers of lies,
Ye are all physicians of no value.
Lakini ninyi hubuni maneno ya uongo, Ninyi nyote ni matabibu wasiofaa.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace!
And it should be your wisdom.
Laiti mngenyamaza kabisa! Hilo lingekuwa hekima kwenu.
6 Hear now my reasoning,
And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Sikieni sasa basi hoja zangu, Mkayasikie mashindano ya midomo yangu.
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God?
And talk deceitfully for him?
Je! Mtanena yasiyo ya haki kwa ajili ya Mungu, Na kusema kwa udanganyifu kwa ajili yake?
8 Will ye accept his person?
Will ye contend for God?
Je! Mtamwonyesha yeye upendeleo? Mtamtetea Mungu?
9 Is it good that he should search you out?
Or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
Je! Itafaa yeye kuwatafuta ninyi? Au, kama kumdanganya mtu, je! Mtamdanganya yeye?
10 He will surely reprove you,
If ye do secretly accept persons.
Hakika atawakemea ninyi, Mkiwapendelea watu kwa siri.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid?
And his dread fall upon you?
Je! Huo ukuu wake hautawatia hofu, Na utisho wake hautawaangukia?
12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes,
Your bodies to bodies of clay.
Matamko yenu ya hekima ni mithali ya majivu, Ngome zenu ni ngome za udongo.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak,
And let come on me what will .
Nyamazeni, niacheni, ili nipate kunena, Na hayo yatakayonijilia na yaje.
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in mine hand?
Nitaitwaa nyama ya mwili wangu katika meno yangu, Na kuutwaa uhai wangu mkononi mwangu!
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:
But I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Tazama, ataniua; sina tumaini; ila hata hivyonitaithibitisha njia yangu mbele yake.
16 He also shall be my salvation:
For an hypocrite shall not come before him.
Hili nalo litakuwa ni wokovu wangu; Kwani asiyemcha Mungu hatakaribia mbele yake.
17 Hear diligently my speech,
And my declaration with your ears.
Sikieni sana maneno yangu, Maelezo yangu na yaingie masikioni mwenu.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause;
I know that I shall be justified.
Angalieni sasa, nimekwisha kulitengeneza neno langu, Najua ya kuwa ni mwenye haki mimi.
19 Who is he that will plead with me?
For now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
Yuko nani atakayeshindana nami? Maana sasa nitanyamaa kimya na kutoa roho.
20 Only do not two things unto me:
Then will I not hide myself from thee.
Lakini msinifanyie mambo mawili, hayo tu, Ndipo nami sitajificha usoni pako;
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me:
And let not thy dread make me afraid.
Uondoe mkono wako usinilemee; Na utisho wako usinitie hofu.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer:
Or let me speak, and answer thou me.
Basi uite wakati huo, nami nitaitika; Au, niache ninene mimi, nawe unijibu.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins?
Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
Maovu yangu na dhambi zangu ni ngapi? Nijulishe kosa langu na dhambi yangu.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face,
And holdest me for thine enemy?
Mbona umeuficha uso wako, Na kunihesabu kuwa ni adui yako?
25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro?
And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
Je! Utalitaabisha jani lipeperushwalo? Au, je! Utayafuatia hayo mabua makavu?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me,
And makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
Kwani umeandika maneno ya uchungu juu yangu, Na kunirithisha maovu ya ujana wangu;
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks,
And lookest narrowly unto all my paths;
Thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
Waitia miguu yangu katika mkatale, na kuyaaua mapito yangu yote; Wajiandikia alama kuzizunguka nyayo za miguu yangu;
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth,
As a garment that is moth eaten.
Nijapokuwa ni kama kitu kilichooza, kinachosinyaa, Mfano wa nguo iliyoliwa na nondo.
