1Pamenepo Elihu anapitiriza kuyankhula kuti,
2“Imvani mawu anga, inu anthu anzeru;
tcherani khutu inu anthu ophunzira.
3Pakuti khutu limayesa mawu
monga momwe mʼkamwa mumalawira chakudya.
4Tsono tiyeni tizindikire chomwe chili choyenera;
tiphunzire pamodzi chomwe chili chabwino.
5“Yobu akunena kuti, ‘Ndine wosalakwa,
koma Mulungu akukana kundiweruza molungama.
6Ngakhale ndine wolungama mtima,
akundiyesa wabodza;
ngakhale ndine wosachimwa,
mivi yake ikundichititsa mabala osachiritsidwa.’
7Kodi munthu wofanana ndi Yobu ndani,
amene amayankhula zamwano ngati akumwa madzi?
8Iye amayenda ndi anthu ochita zoyipa;
amayanjana ndi anthu oyipa mtima.
9Paja iye amanena kuti, ‘Munthu sapindula kanthu
poyesetsa kukondweretsa Mulungu.’
10“Tsono mverani ine, inu anthu anzeru zomvetsa zinthu.
Mulungu sangachite choyipa ndi pangʼono pomwe,
Wamphamvuzonse sangathe kuchita cholakwa.
11Iye amamubwezera munthu molingana ndi ntchito zake;
Mulungu amabweretsa pa munthu molingana ndi zomwe amachita.
12Nʼchosayembekezeka kuti Mulungu achite cholakwa,
kuti Wamphamvuzonse apotoze chilungamo.
13Kodi anapatsa Mulungu udindo wolamulira dziko lapansi ndani?
Ndani anayika Mulungu kuti azilamulira dziko lonse?
14Mulungu akanakhala ndi maganizo
oti achotse mzimu wake ndi mpweya wake,
15zamoyo zonse zikanawonongekeratu
ndipo munthu akanabwerera ku fumbi.
16“Ngati ndinu omvetsa zinthu, imvani izi;
mvetserani zimene ndikunena.
17Kodi Mulungu wodana ndi chilungamo angathe kukhala wolamulira?
Kodi iwe ungathe kuweruza Wolungama ndi Wamphamvuyo?
18Kodi si Iye amene amanena kwa mafumu kuti, ‘Ndinu opanda pake,’
ndipo amawuza anthu otchuka, ‘Ndinu oyipa,’
19Iye sakondera akalonga
ndipo salemekeza anthu olemera kupambana osauka,
pakuti onsewa ndi ntchito ya manja ake?
20Iwo amafa mwadzidzidzi, pakati pa usiku;
anthu amachita mantha ndipo amamwalira;
munthu wamphamvu amachotsedwa popanda dzanja la munthu.
21“Maso a Mulungu amapenya njira za munthu;
amaona mayendedwe ake onse.
22Palibe malo obisika kapena a mdima wandiweyani
kumene anthu ochita zoyipa angabisaleko.
23Mulungu sasowa kuti apitirizebe kufufuza munthu,
kuti abwere pamaso pake kudzaweruzidwa.
24Popanda kufufuza, Iye amawononga anthu amphamvu
ndipo mʼmalo mwawo amayikamo ena.
25Pakuti Iyeyo amadziwa bwino ntchito zawo
amawagubuduza usiku ndipo amatswanyika.
26Iye amawalanga chifukwa cha kuyipa kwawo,
pamalo pamene aliyense akuwaona;
27Chifukwa anasiya kumutsata
ndipo sasamaliranso njira zake zonse.
28Anachititsa amphawi kuti kulira kwawo kufike pamaso pake,
kotero Iyeyo anamva kulira kwa amphawiwo.
29Koma ngati Mulungu akhala chete, ndani angamunene kuti walakwa?
Akabisa nkhope yake, ndani angathe kumupenyabe?
Komatu ndiye amene amayangʼana za munthu komanso mtundu wa anthu,
30kuti asalamuliridwe ndi anthu osapembedza,
kuti asatchere anthu misampha.
31“Mwina munthu atanena kwa Mulungu kuti,
‘Ndine wolakwa koma sindidzachimwanso,
32ndiphunzitseni zimene sindikuziona
ngati ndachita choyipa, sindidzachitanso.’
33Kodi Mulungu akuweruzeni potsata mmene inuyo mukuganizira,
pamene inu mukukana kulapa?
Chisankho nʼchanu, osati changa;
tsono ndiwuzeni zomwe mukudziwa.
34“Anthu omvetsa zinthu adzakambirana,
anthu anzeru amene akundimva adzandiwuza kuti,
35‘Yobu akuyankhula mopanda nzeru;
mawu ake ndi opanda fundo.’
36Aa, kunali bwino Yobu akanayesedwa mpaka kumapeto
chifukwa choyankha ngati munthu woyipa!
37Pa tchimo lake amawonjezerapo kuwukira;
amawomba mʼmanja mwake monyoza pakati pathu,
ndipo amachulukitsa mawu otsutsana ndi Mulungu.”
1Elihu continued,
2“Hear what I’m saying, you wise men.
Listen to me, you who have learned so much.
3Our tongues tell us what tastes good and what doesn’t.
And our ears tell us what’s true and what isn’t.
4So let’s choose for ourselves what is right.
Let’s learn together what is good.
5“Job says, ‘I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong.
But God doesn’t treat me fairly.
6Even though I’m right,
he thinks I’m a liar.
Even though I’m not guilty,
his arrows give me wounds that can’t be healed.’
7Is there anyone like Job?
He accuses God as easily as he drinks water.
8He’s a companion of those who do evil.
He spends his time with sinful people.
9He asks, ‘What good is it
to try to please God?’
10“So listen to me, you men who have understanding.
God would never do what is evil.
The Mighty One would never do what is wrong.
11He pays back everyone for what they’ve done.
He gives them exactly what they should get.
12It isn’t possible for God to do wrong.
The Mighty One would never treat people unfairly.
13Who appointed him to rule over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?
14If he really wanted to,
he could hold back his spirit and breath.
15Then everyone would die together.
They would return to the dust.
16“Job, if you have understanding, listen to me.
Pay attention to what I’m saying.
17Can someone who hates to be fair govern?
Will you bring charges against the holy and mighty God?
18He says to kings, ‘You are worthless.’
He says to nobles, ‘You are evil.’
19He doesn’t favor princes.
He treats rich people and poor people the same.
His hands created all of them.
20They die suddenly in the middle of the night.
God strikes them down, and they pass away.
Even people who are mighty are removed, but not by human hands.
21“His eyes see how people live.
He watches every step they take.
22There is no deep shadow or total darkness
where those who do what is evil can hide.
23God doesn’t need to bring charges against anyone.
He knows they are guilty.
So he doesn’t need to have them appear in his court to be judged.
24He destroys the mighty without asking them questions in court.
Then he sets others up in their places.
25He knows what they do.
So he crushes them during the night.
26He punishes them for the sins they commit.
He does it where everyone can see them.
27That’s because they turned away from following him.
They didn’t have respect for anything he does.
28They caused poor people to cry out to him.
He heard the cries of those who were in need.
29But if he remains silent, who can judge him?
If he turns his face away, who can see him?
He rules over individual people and nations alike.
30He keeps those who are ungodly from ruling.
He keeps them from laying traps for others.
31“Someone might say to God,
‘I’m guilty of sinning,
but I won’t do it anymore.
32Show me my sins that I’m not aware of.
If I’ve done what is wrong,
I won’t do it again.’
33But you refuse to turn away from your sins.
So God won’t treat you the way you want to be treated.
You must decide, Job. I can’t do it for you.
So tell me what you know.
34“You men who have understanding have spoken.
You wise men who hear me have said to me,
35‘Job doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
The things he has said don’t make any sense.’
36I wish Job would be given the hardest test possible!
He answered like someone who is evil.
37To his sin he adds even more sin.
He claps his hands and makes fun of us.
He multiplies his words against God.”
