Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“Listen carefully to what I’m saying.
Let that be the comfort you people give me.
3Put up with me while I speak.
After I’ve spoken, you can make fun of me!
4“I’m not arguing with mere human beings.
So why shouldn’t I be angry and uneasy?
5Look at me and be shocked.
Put your hand over your mouth and stop talking!
6When I think about these things, I’m terrified.
My whole body trembles.
7Why do sinful people keep on living?
The older they grow, the richer they get.
8They see their children grow up around them.
They watch their family grow larger.
9Their homes are safe.
They don’t have to be afraid.
God isn’t punishing them.
10Every time their bulls mate, their cows become pregnant.
And the calves don’t die before they are born.
11Sinful people send their children out like a flock of lambs.
Their little ones dance around.
12They sing to the music of tambourines and lyres.
They have a good time while flutes are being played.
13Those who are evil spend their years living well.
They go down to their graves in peace.
14But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We don’t want to know how you want us to live.
15Who is the Mighty One? Why should we serve him?
What would we get if we prayed to him?’
16But they aren’t in control of their own success.
So I don’t pay any attention to their plans.
17“How often are their lamps blown out?
How often does trouble come on them?
How often does God punish them when he’s angry?
18How often are they like straw blowing in the wind?
How often are they like tumbleweeds swept away by a storm?
19People say, ‘God stores up the punishment of evil people for their children.’
But let God punish the evil people themselves.
Then they’ll learn a lesson from it.
20Let their own eyes see how they are destroyed.
Let them drink the wine of the Mighty One’s anger.
21What do they care about the families they leave behind?
What do they care about them
when their lives come to an end?
22“Can anyone teach God anything?
After all, he judges even the angels in heaven.
23Some people die while they are still very strong.
They are completely secure. They have an easy life.
24They are well fed.
Their bodies are healthy.
25Others die while their spirits are bitter.
They’ve never enjoyed anything good.
26Side by side they lie in the dust of death.
The worms in their graves cover all of them.
27“I know exactly what you people are thinking.
I know you are planning to do bad things to me.
28You are saying to yourselves,
‘Where is the great man’s house now?
Where are the tents where his evil family lived?’
29Haven’t you ever asked questions of those who travel?
Haven’t you paid any attention to their stories?
30They’ll tell you that sinful people
are spared from the day of trouble.
They’ll say that those people
are saved from the day when God will judge.
31Who speaks against them for the way they act?
Who pays them back for what they’ve done?
32Their bodies will be carried to their graves.
Guards will watch over their tombs.
33The soil in the valley will be pleasant
to those who have died.
Many people will walk along behind their bodies.
Many others will walk in front of them.
34“So how can you comfort me with your speeches?
They don’t make any sense at all.
Your answers are nothing but lies!”
Hotuba Ya Saba Ya Ayubu
Ayubu Anajibu: Waovu Mara Nyingi Huenda Bila Kuadhibiwa
1Ndipo Ayubu akajibu:
221:2 Ay 13:17; 21:34“Yasikilizeni maneno yangu kwa makini;
hii na iwe faraja mnayonipa mimi.
321:3 Ay 6:14; 11:3; 16:10Nivumilieni ninapozungumza,
nami nikishazungumza, endeleeni kunidhihaki.
421:4 Za 22:1-3; Ay 6:3, 11; 1Sam 1:16“Je, kwani malalamiko yangu yanaelekezwa kwa mwanadamu?
Kwa nini nisikose subira?
521:5 Amu 18:19; Ay 40:4Niangalieni mkastaajabu;
mkaweke mkono juu ya vinywa vyenu.
621:6 Mwa 45:3; Ay 4:14Ninapowaza juu ya hili, ninaogopa,
nao mwili wangu unatetemeka.
721:7 Mhu 7:15; Mal 3:15; Yer 12:1-3Kwa nini waovu wanaendelea kuishi,
wakifikia umri wa uzee na kuendelea kuwa na nguvu?
821:8 Za 17:14; Mal 3:15Huwaona watoto wao wakithibitika
wakiwa wamewazunguka,
wazao wao mbele za macho yao.
921:9 Ay 5:24; Za 73:5Nyumba zao zi salama wala hakuna hofu;
fimbo ya Mungu haiko juu yao.
1021:10 Kut 23:26Madume yao ya ngʼombe huvyaza bila kushindwa kamwe;
ngʼombe wao huzaa wala hawaharibu mimba.
1121:11 Za 78:52; 107:41Huwatoa watoto wao nje kama kundi;
wadogo wao huchezacheza.
1221:12 1Nya 15:16; Mt 15:17Huimba nyimbo kwa matari na kwa kinubi,
nao huifurahia sauti ya filimbi.
1321:13 Ay 24:19; Za 49:14; Isa 14:15; Ay 3:13Huitumia miaka yao katika mafanikio
nao hushuka kaburini kwa amani.
1421:14 Ay 4:17; Kum 32:15; Isa 30:11; 1Sam 11:15Lakini humwambia Mungu, ‘Tuache sisi!’
Hatuna haja ya kufahamu njia zako.
1521:15 Yer 9:6; Mal 3:14Mwenyezi ni nani hata tumtumikie?
Tutapata faida gani kumwomba?
1621:16 Ay 22:18; Za 1:1; 26:5; 36:1Lakini kufanikiwa kwao hakupo mikononi mwao wenyewe,
hivyo najitenga mbali na shauri la waovu.
1721:17 Ay 18:5; 18:12; 20:22, 28“Lakini ni mara ngapi taa ya waovu huzimwa?
Ni mara ngapi maafa huwajia,
yale yawapatayo ambayo Mungu
huwapangia katika hasira yake?
1821:18 Ay 13:15; Mwa 19:15; Ay 7:10; Mit 10:25; Mwa 7:23Ni mara ngapi huwa kama majani makavu mbele ya upepo,
kama makapi yachukuliwayo na dhoruba?
1921:19 Kut 20:5; Yn 9:2Imesemekana, ‘Mungu huiweka akiba adhabu ya mtu
kwa ajili ya wanawe.’
Mungu na amlipe mtu mwenyewe,
ili apate kulijua!
2021:20 Ay 6:4; Isa 51:17; Yer 25:15; Ufu 14:10Macho yake mwenyewe na yaone maangamizi yake;
yeye na ainywe ghadhabu ya Mwenyezi.
2121:21 Ay 14:22; 14:5; 14:21; Mhu 9:5-6Kwani anajali nini kuhusu jamaa anayoiacha nyuma,
miezi yake aliyopangiwa ifikapo mwisho?
2221:22 Za 94:12; 86:8; Rum 11:34“Je, yuko mtu yeyote awezaye kumfundisha Mungu maarifa,
iwapo yeye ndiye ahukumuye hata walio juu ya wote?
2321:23 Mwa 15:15; Ay 13:26; 3:13Mtu mmoja hufa akiwa na nguvu zake kamili,
akiwa salama na mwenye raha kamili,
2421:24 Mit 3:8mwili wake ukiwa umenawiri,
nayo mifupa yake ikiwa imejaa mafuta ndani yake.
2521:25 Ay 10:1Mtu mwingine hufa katika uchungu wa nafsi,
akiwa hajafurahia kamwe jambo lolote zuri.
2621:26 Mhu 9:2-3; Isa 14:11Hao wote hulala mavumbini,
nao mabuu huwafunika wote.
27“Ninayajua kikamilifu yale mnayoyafikiri,
mipango ambayo kwayo mngenitendea mabaya.
2821:28 Ay 1:3; 12:21; 29:25; 31:37; 8:22Mwasema, ‘Iko wapi sasa nyumba ya huyo mtu mkuu,
mahema ambayo watu waovu walikaa?’
29Je, hamkuwahi kuwauliza hao wanaosafiri?
Je, hamkutafakari taarifa zao:
3021:30 Ay 31:3; Mit 16:4; Isa 5:30; Rum 5:2kwamba mtu mwovu huepushwa kutoka siku ya maafa,
kwamba huokolewa kutoka siku ya ghadhabu?
3121:31 Ay 34:11; Za 62:12; Mit 24:11-12; Isa 59:18Ni nani hulaumu matendo yake mbele ya uso wake?
Ni nani ampatilizaye kwa yale aliyoyatenda?
3221:32 Isa 14:18Hupelekwa kaburini,
nao ulinzi ukawekwa kwenye kaburi lake.
3321:33 Ay 3:17-19; 17:16; 24:24Udongo ulio bondeni ni mtamu kwake;
watu wote watamfuata,
nao umati wa watu usiohesabika umemtangulia.
34“Hivyo ninyi mnawezaje kunifariji kwa upuzi wenu?
Hakuna kilichosalia cha majibu yenu isipokuwa uongo!”
