Job
1Then Job replied:
2‘Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
3Though they wished to dispute with him,
they could not answer him once in a thousand times.
4His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.
Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
5He moves mountains without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.
6He shakes the earth from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.
7He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
he seals off the light of the stars.
8He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads on the waves of the sea.
9He is the Maker of the Bear9:9 Or of Leo and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
11When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
12If he snatches away, who can stop him?
Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
13God does not restrain his anger;
even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
14‘How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?
15Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;
I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
16Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
17He would crush me with a storm
and multiply my wounds for no reason.
18He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.
19If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.?
20Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
21‘Although I am blameless,
I have no concern for myself;
I despise my own life.
22It is all the same; that is why I say,
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”
23When a scourge brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,
he blindfolds its judges.
If it is not he, then who is it?
25‘My days are swifter than a runner;
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
26They skim past like boats of papyrus,
like eagles swooping down on their prey.
27If I say, “I will forget my complaint,
I will change my expression, and smile,”
28I still dread all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.
29Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?
30Even if I washed myself with soap
and my hands with cleansing powder,
31you would plunge me into a slime pit
so that even my clothes would detest me.
32‘He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
that we might confront each other in court.
33If only there were someone to mediate between us,
someone to bring us together,
34someone to remove God’s rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.
35Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
Mawu a Yobu
1Ndipo Yobu anayankha kuti,
2“Zoonadi, ndikudziwa kuti zimenezi ndi zoona.
Koma munthu angathe bwanji kukhala wolungama pamaso pa Mulungu?
3Ngakhale wina atafuna kutsutsana naye,
Iye sangamuyankhe munthuyo ngakhale mawu amodzi omwe.
4Mulungu ndi wa nzeru zambiri ndipo mphamvu zake ndi zochuluka.
Ndani analimbana naye popanda kupwetekeka?
5Iye amasuntha mapiri, mapiriwo osadziwa,
ndipo amawagubuduza ali wokwiya.
6Iye amagwedeza dziko lapansi kulisuntha pamalo pake
ndipo amanjenjemeretsa mizati yake.
7Iye amayankhula ndi dzuwa ndipo siliwala;
Iyeyo amaphimba kuwala kwa nyenyezi.
8Ndi Mulungu yekha amene anayala mayiko akumwamba
ndipo amayenda pa mafunde a pa nyanja.
9Iye ndiye mlengi wa nyenyezi zamlalangʼamba ndi akamwiniatsatana,
nsangwe ndi kumpotosimpita.
10Iye amachita zozizwitsa zimene sizimvetsetseka,
zodabwitsa zimene sizingawerengeke.
11Akapita pafupi ndi ine sindingathe kumuona;
akadutsa, sindingathe kumuzindikira.
12Ngati Iye alanda zinthu, ndani angathe kumuletsa?
Ndani anganene kwa Iye kuti, ‘Mukuchita chiyani?’
13Mulungu sabweza mkwiyo wake;
ngakhale gulu lankhondo la Rahabe linawerama pa mapazi ake.
14“Nanga ine ndingathe kukangana naye bwanji?
Ndingawapeze kuti mawu oti nʼkutsutsana naye?
15Ngakhale nditakhala wosalakwa, sindingamuyankhe;
ndikanangopempha chifundo kwa woweruza wanga.
16Ngakhale ndikanamuyitana ndipo Iye ndi kuvomera,
sindikhulupirira kuti akanamva mawu angawo.
17Iye akanandikantha ndi mphepo yamkuntho,
ndipo akanandipweteka popanda chifukwa.
18Mulungu sakanandilola kuti ndipumenso
koma akanandichulukitsira zowawa.
19Tikanena za mphamvu, Iye ndi wamphamvudi!
Ndipo tikanena za chiweruzo cholungama, ndani angamuzenge mlandu?
20Ngakhale ndikanakhala wosalakwa, zoyankhula zanga zikananditsutsa;
ndikanakhala wopanda cholakwa, pakamwa panga pakanandipeza wolakwa.
21“Ngakhale ine ndili wosalakwa,
sindidziyenereza ndekha;
moyo wanga ndimawupeputsa.
22Zonse nʼzofanana; nʼchifukwa chake ndikuti,
‘Iye amawononga anthu osalakwa ndi anthu oyipa omwe.’
23Pamene mkwapulo ubweretsa imfa yadzidzidzi,
Iye amaseka tsoka la munthu wosalakwayo.
24Pamene dziko lagwa mʼmanja mwa anthu oyipa
Iye amawatseka maso anthu oweruza dzikolo.
Ngati si Iyeyo, nanga ndani?
25“Masiku anga ndi othamanga kwambiri kupambana munthu waliwiro;
masikuwo amapita ine osaonapo zabwino.
26Amayenda ngati mabwato a njedza pa nyanja,
ngati mphungu zothamangira nyama zoti zidye.
27Nʼtanena kuti, ‘Ndidzayiwala madandawulo anga,
ndidzasintha nkhope yanga ndipo ndidzasekerera,’
28ndikuopabe mavuto anga onse,
popeza ndikudziwa kuti simudzavomereza kuti ndine wosalakwa.
29Popeza ndapezeka kale wolakwa
ndivutikirenji popanda phindu?
30Ngakhale nditasamba mʼmadzi oyera kwambiri
ndi kusamba mʼmanja mwanga ndi sopo,
31mutha kundiponyabe pa dzala,
kotero kuti ngakhale zovala zanga zomwe zidzandinyansa.
32“Mulungu si munthu ngati ine kuti ndithe kumuyankha,
sindingathe kutsutsana naye mʼbwalo la milandu.
33Pakanapezeka munthu wina kuti akhale mʼkhalapakati wathu,
kuti atibweretse ife tonse pamodzi,
34munthu wina woti achotse ndodo ya Mulungu pa ine
kuti kuopsa kwake kusandichititsenso mantha!
35Pamenepo ine ndikanatha kuyankhula mosamuopa Mulunguyo,
koma monga zililimu, sindingathe.
