Job's Reply to Bildad
How Long Will You Torture Me?
1 Job said:
2 How long will you torture me
with your words?
3 Isn't ten times enough
for you to accuse me?
Aren't you ashamed?
4 Even if I have sinned,
you haven't been harmed.
5 You boast of your goodness,
claiming I am suffering
because I am guilty.
6 But God is the one at fault
for finding fault with me.
7 Though I pray to be rescued
from this torment,
no whisper of justice
answers me.
8 God has me trapped
with a wall of darkness
9 and stripped of respect.
10 God rips me apart,
uproots my hopes,
11 and attacks with fierce anger,
as though I were his enemy.
12 His entire army advances,
then surrounds my tent.
I Am Forgotten
* 13 God has turned relatives
and friends against me,
14 and I am forgotten.
15 My guests and my servants
consider me a stranger,
16 and when I call my servants,
they pay no attention.
17 My breath disgusts my wife;
everyone in my family
turns away.
18 Young children can't stand me,
and when I come near,
they make fun.
19 My best friends and loved ones
have turned from me.
20 I am skin and bones—
just barely alive.
21 My friends, I beg you for pity!
God has made me his target.
22 Hasn't he already done enough?
Why do you join the attack?
23 I wish that my words
could be written down
24 or chiseled into rock.
25 I know that my Protector lives,
and at the end
he will stand on this earth.
26 My flesh may be destroyed,
yet from this body
I will see God.
27 Yes, I will see him for myself,
and I long for that moment.
28 My friends, you think up ways
to blame and torment me, saying
I brought it on myself.
29 But watch out for the judgment,
when God will punish you!
1 Jobe kashandula eti,
2 “Apa kowodza kukabe lini mundigongobola kene,
kakale mundikowobedza nge matama kene?
3 Kwabe ka gumi makabhata mundituka,
apa amutobhakhwa nge shoni kunditanga kene?
4 Ngono nenguba pamwe kuli lebeswa ndakatjinya,
nlandu wangu umu ndili ndoga.
5 Ha nge malebeswa muzwikudza,
mushingisa kulengudzika kwangu kundibona nlandu,
6 zibani ngono kuti Ndzimu ndiwo wanditanga,
wandibhatshila nge gwanga gwawo.
7 Bonani, ndomimila nditi, ‘Ndatangiwa kaa!’ Akuna unonditeedza!
Ndolila ndishaka bhatsho koga akuna ndulamo.
8 Wakazhalila zila yangu kuti ndisipinde,
ukabiga zhalima mu zila dzangu.
9 Wakanditolela gudzo langu,
ukandiambula tjiala mu nsholo wangu.
10 Unondipalulanya mbizho dzose, ndatjipelela,
ukadzikunula kugalabgwe kwangu se nti.
11 Unothutidza bushongola gwawo mundili,
unonditola se tjita tjawo.
12 Babhayani bawo banozwibumba
bakabaka matuluthulu kundipoteleka,
bakakomba nshasha wangu.
13 “Wakandithubukanya ne zwikamu zwangu,
bandakawolobelana nabo banozwithama basingandizibe.
14 Makamu angu bamile kule nami
bakwinya bangu batjindikangang'wa,
15 bezi mu nzi wangu batjindikangang'wa,
balandakadzi bangu banonditola se nzhi,
ndatjibe ntaya ku bali.
16 Nenguba ndidana nlanda wangu aatondidabila,
ne ndinkumbila dumbu nge wangu nlomo.
17 Meya yangu inonuhwila nkadzi wangu,
bana ba mmeyangu bakati ndonuhwa.
18 Ne bana batukununu banondilengudza,
anditi ndomilika banondiseka.
19 Bose bakwinya bangu bakulu banondishima,
ibabo bandakabe ndida kwazo bakandifupatila.
20 Mafupa angu akanamatilana ne ganda,
ndabuya pa tukununu koga.
21 “Mundihwile zogwadza,
mundihwile zogwadza kaa bakwinya bangu!
Ngobe luboko gwe Ndzimu gwandiloba!
22 Ini mundidziyidza se Ndzimu kene?
Apa kudziyidza nyama yangu kwenyu akuzogala kene?
23 “Ekee, ungati matama angu angakwagwa!
Ekee, ungati angakwagwa mu bhuka!
24 Ekee, ungati angakwagwa nge peni ye butale ne mu bgwe,
kuti akobolegwe mu bgwe ndizo agalile tjose!
25 Ngobe ndoziba kuti Ndzutunuli wangu unotjila,
kowoti ku bupelo kama mu shango,
26 nenguba ganda langu lapela sa ikoku,
koga mu mbili wangu iwoyu ndowobona Ndzimu.
27 Ndiwo wandinowobona ku lubizho gwangu,
nge mesho angu ndowoubona kusi upoga.
Moyo wangu unoyemula ikoku.
Ndzimu unowomusumikilisa
28 “Amuti, ‘Towon'sala shule kuti!’
Kakale kuti, ‘Budwilo gwe mang'oni ini
ne nlandu waakathama ndiupi?’
29 Itjani thumo, imwi nge kwenyu,
ngobe bushongola gozhisa kulobgwa shamu nge thumo,
kuti muzibe kuti kuna kusumikilisa.”