Zophar's First Speech
So Much Foolish Talk
1 Zophar from Naamah said:
2 So much foolish talk
cannot go unanswered.
3 Your words have silenced others
and made them ashamed;
now it is only right for you
to be put to shame.
4 You claim to be innocent
and argue that your beliefs
are acceptable to God.
5 But I wish God would speak
6 and let you know that wisdom
has many different sides.
You would then discover
that God has punished you
less than you deserve.
7 Can you understand the mysteries
surrounding God All-Powerful?
8 They are higher than the heavens
and deeper than the grave.
So what can you do
when you know so little,
9 and these mysteries outreach
the earth and the ocean?
10 If God puts you in prison
or drags you to court,
what can you do?
11 God has the wisdom to know
when someone is worthless
and sinful,
12 but it's easier to tame
a wild donkey
than to make a fool wise.
Surrender Your Heart to God
13 Surrender your heart to God,
turn to him in prayer,
14 and give up your sins—
even those you do in secret.
15 Then you won't be ashamed;
you will be confident
and fearless.
16 Your troubles will go away
like water beneath a bridge,
17 and your darkest night
will be brighter than noon.
18 You will rest safe and secure,
filled with hope
and emptied of worry.
19 You will sleep without fear
and be greatly respected.
20 But those who are evil
will go blind and lose their way.
Their only escape is death!
1 Ipapo Zofa we N'namathi kadabila eti,
2 “Apa matama wose mangapa aatodabigwa kene?
Apa nthu unoleba matama manjinji ungashayiwa nlandu kene?
3 Apa matama awo e ludado anonyaladza balume kene?
Apa audada akuna unowokutjemela kene?
4 Unoti, ‘Kudiya kwangu kwakatjena,
kakale ndi mbuyanana mu mesho enyu.’
5 Koga ungati Ndzimu ungalebeleka,
ukakuzhulila nlomo wawo ukakubudza,
6 ukakubudza zwikohwa zwe butjenjedu,
ngobe butjenjedu gwe lebeswa gukabili.
Ziba woku, Ndzimu unokuloba shamwana isakalizana zwibi zwizo.
7 “Apa ungashaka ukabona zwithu zwikulu zwe Ndzimu?
Apa ungashaka ukabona bhelelo le simba la Masimbawose kene?
8 Lopinda zhuzhugwi dumbu, ungathamani wali?
Lopinda kungina kwe bugalo gwe bafi, ungazibani wali?
9 Tjilizanyo tjalo tjopinda shango nge bulefu,
bupabi gwalo gopinda gungwa.
10 Ha Ndzimu uti upinda ukakulonga mu ng'umba ye busungwa,
ukadanila kusumikilisiwa, apa ndiani ungaudziba kene?
11 Nge malebeswa unoziba bathu basi betjimwe,
apa aubona bubi autobe ne hanya nge kwangu kene?
12 Tjilengwe tjingatjenjela,
koga ha donki ye shango inga zwagwa ili nthu.
13 “Ngono koga ha ungaupa moyo uwo,
ukamilidzila maboko awo kuuli,
14 ha ungalashila kutjena jinyo limu luboko gugo,
ukasiletjedzele bubi gukagala mu nshasha uwo,
15 ipapo ndiko unowomilidza buso gugo usina shoni,
unowoma wakasima usingatje.
16 Ngelebeswa unowokangang'wa mang'oni awo
ukaakumbula se vula yakatongowunga.
17 Butjilo gugo gowopenya kupinda masikati makulu,
zhalima lago likanga mangwanana.
18 Unowonyaladzika ngoti kuna kugalabgwe,
unowobakililika ngono ukanyaluluka wakabakililika.
19 Unowolala kusina unokutjisa,
banji banowoyemula kushathisiwa ndiwe.
20 Koga mesho e babi anowokong'wa,
bakasibone pabangapudzumuka ndipo.
Kugalabgwe kwabo kowobe kuti bangafa.”