Job
1Then Job replied:
2“If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
my spirit drinks in their poison;
God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
5Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
6Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.?
7I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.
8“Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,
9that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
11“What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?
12Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?
13Do I have any power to help myself,
now that success has been driven from me?
14“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,
as the streams that overflow
16when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,
17but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heat vanish from their channels.
18Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19The caravans of Tema look for water,
the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
20They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
21Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.
22Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
23deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?
24“Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.
25How painful are honest words!
But what do your arguments prove?
26Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?
27You would even cast lots for the fatherless
and barter away your friend.
28“But now be so kind as to look at me.
Would I lie to your face?
29Relent, do not be unjust;
reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.6:29 Or my righteousness still stands
30Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?
Mawu a Yobu
1Tsono Yobu anayankha kuti,
2“Achikhala mavuto anga anayezedwa,
ndipo zipsinjo zanga zonse zikanayikidwa pa sikelo!
3Ndithu, zikanalemera kupambana mchenga wa ku nyanja;
nʼchifukwa chake mawu anga akhala okhadzula.
4Mivi ya Wamphamvuzonse yandibaya,
thupi langa likumva ululu wa miviyo;
zoopsa za Mulungu zandizinga.
5Kodi bulu wakuthengo amalira akakhala ndi msipu,
nanga ngʼombe imalira ikakhala ndi chakudya?
6Kodi chakudya chosakoma nʼkuchidya chopanda mchere,
nanga choyera cha dzira chimakoma?
7Zakudya zimenezi sindifuna nʼkuzilawa komwe;
zakudya zimenezi zimabwerera kukhosi.
8“Aa, ndikanalandira chimene ndikuchipempha,
chikhala Mulungu anandipatsa chimene ndikuchiyembekezera,
9achikhala chinamukomera Mulungu kuti anditswanye,
kulola dzanja lake kuti lindimenye ndi kundiwonongeratu!
10Pamenepo ine ndikanakhalabe ndi chitonthozo ichi,
ndikanakondwa mu ululu wanga wosalekezawu
podziwa kuti sindinakane mawu a Woyerayo.
11“Kodi mphamvu zanga nʼzotani kuti ndizikhalabe ndi chiyembekezo?
Nanga zoyembekezera zanga nʼzotani kuti ndipirirebe?
12Kodi ine ndili ndi mphamvu?
Nanga thupi langa ndi lolimba ngati chitsulo?
13Kodi ndili ndi mphamvu zodzithandizira ndekha,
nanga pakuti thandizo lachotsedwa kwa ine?
14“Munthu amene ali kakasi ayenera kukhala ndi abwenzi odzipereka,
ngakhale kuti iyeyo wasiya kuopa Wamphamvuzonse.
15Koma abale anga ndi wosadalirika ngati mitsinje yowuma msanga,
ngati mitsinje imene imathamanga.
16Ali ngati mitsinje ya madzi akuda nthawi ya dzinja,
imene madzi ake amakhala ambiri chifukwa chakuchuluka kwa mvula,
17koma madziwo amasiya kuyenda nthawi yachilimwe,
ndipo nthawi yotentha madziwo amawumiratu mʼmitsinjemo.
18Anthu oyenda pa ngamira amapatukirako kufuna madzi;
iwo amangoyendayenda nʼkufera mʼchipululu.
19Anthu oyenda pa ngamira a ku Tema amafunafuna madzi,
anthu amalonda apaulendo a ku Seba amafunafuna mwa chiyembekezo.
20Amataya mtima chifukwa ankayembekezera kupeza madzi;
koma akafika kumeneko, amangokhumudwako.
21Tsono inunso mukuonetsa kuti ndinu osathandiza,
mukuona chinthu choopsa kwambiri ndipo mukuchita mantha.
22Kodi ine ndinanenapo kuti, ‘Ndiperekereni kenakake,
ndilipirireni dipo kuchokera pa chuma chanu,
23ndilanditseni mʼdzanja la mdani,
ndiwomboleni mʼdzanja la munthu wankhanza?’
24“Phunzitseni, ndipo ine ndidzakhala chete;
ndionetseni pomwe ndalakwitsa.
25Ndithu, mawu owona ndi opweteka!
Koma mawu anu otsutsa akufuna kuonetsa chiyani?
26Kodi inu mukufuna kundidzudzula pa zimene ndikunena,
ndipo mukufuna kuyesa mawu a munthu wosweka mtima ngati mphepo chabe?
27Inu mungathe kuchita maere kuti mugulitse ana amasiye
ndi kumugulitsa bwenzi lanu.
28“Koma tsopano ndichitireni chifundo pamene mukundiyangʼana.
Kodi ine ndingayankhule zabodza pamaso panu?
29Fewani mtima, musachite zosalungama;
ganiziraninso popeza chilungamo changa chikanalipobe.
30Kodi pali choyipa chilichonse pa milomo yanga?
Kodi pakamwa panga sipangathe kuzindikira kanthu koyipa?
