Job's Final Statement of His Case
1 Job began speaking again.
Job
2 If only my life could once again
be as it was when God watched over me.
3 God was always with me then
and gave me light as I walked through the darkness.
4 Those were the days when I was prosperous,
and the friendship of God protected my home.
5 Almighty God was with me then,
and I was surrounded by all my children.
6 My cows and goats gave plenty of milk,
and my olive trees grew in the rockiest soil.
7 Whenever the city elders met
and I took my place among them,
8 young men stepped aside as soon as they saw me,
and old men stood up to show me respect.
9 The leaders of the people would stop talking;
10 even the most important men kept silent.
11 Everyone who saw me or heard of me
had good things to say about what I had done.
12 When the poor cried out, I helped them;
I gave help to orphans who had nowhere to turn.
13 People who were in deepest misery praised me,
and I helped widows find security.
14 I have always acted justly and fairly.
15 I was eyes for the blind,
and feet for the lame.
16 I was like a father to the poor
and took the side of strangers in trouble.
17 I destroyed the power of cruel men
and rescued their victims.
18 I always expected to live a long life
and to die at home in comfort.
19 I was like a tree whose roots always have water
and whose branches are wet with dew.
20 Everyone was always praising me,
and my strength never failed me.
21 When I gave advice, people were silent
and listened carefully to what I said;
22 they had nothing to add when I had finished.
My words sank in like drops of rain;
23 everyone welcomed them
just as farmers welcome rain in spring.
24 I smiled on them when they had lost confidence;
my cheerful face encouraged them.
25 I took charge and made the decisions;
I led them as a king leads his troops,
and gave them comfort in their despair.
Matama a Jobe e bupelo
1 Jobe kadwilila kakale nge ndebeleko iye eti,
2 “Ungati ndingabe ndinga tjandakabe ndili itjo mimwedzi yakapinda,
kunga mu mazhuba iyawaje Ndzimu ugala wakandilisa,
3 pawakabe uthama kuti luvone gwawo gupenye pezhugwi kwe nsholo wangu,
nge tjedza tjawo ndipalame zhalima,
4 se mazhuba andakabe nditjakasima,
kwakabe buzwalani gwangu ne Ndzimu gwakakombolela nzi wangu.
5 Masimbawose bakabe banami,
bana bangu bakandipoteleka.
6 Matshambo angu ndakabe ndiyazhodza lubomba,
mabgwe enditebukila mafuta e mitoba.
7 Ndakabe nditi andiyenda ku nkoba we nzi nkulu,
nditi nditola tjigalo tjangu pa tjibata,
8 bazhuzha bakabe betsheduka abendibona,
sholotjena dzikama nge makumbo,
9 makombgwa akabe emisa kulebeleka,
bebiga maboko pa milomo yabo,
10 mahwi e banokudziwa akabe eti hwu,
ndimi dzabo dzakabe dzinamatilana ne mbgwasha dzabo.
11 “Zebe yakabe endihwa ikandikombolela,
zhisho lakabe lindibona likapa butendeki nge kwangu.
12 Ngoti ndakabhatsha nshayi wakabe ekumbila bhatsho,
ne siyangwa yakabe isina unoibhatsha.
13 Ndakakombolegwa ndi iwoyu wakabe abepejo ngokufa,
athama kuti tjilikadzi ipembele nge kushatha.
14 Ndakafuka ndulamo se tjiambalo tjangu,
kutambunuka kwangu kukanga hazu ne tjiala
ikandiambadza se hazu ne tjiala.
15 Ndakabe mesho ku bhofu,
ndikabe makumbo ku tjilema tje makumbo.
16 Ndakabe tate ku nshayi,
amilila wandisingazibe mu lubazhe.
17 Ndakavuna meno e mbiimbi,
adzamula wakabe awila mu meno awe.
18 Ndakakumbula nditi, ‘Ndowofila mu shaka langu,
ndowowatsha mazhuba angu akanga nsetje.
19 Midzi yangu inowala ikanoti ku vula,
ne thabi dzangu dzowigwa ne khawa.
20 Gudzo langu lidzwa nsi ne nsi mundili,
ne dati langu logala lilidzwa koga mu luboko gwangu.’
21 “Bathu bakabe benditeedza nge kugalabgwe,
bakabe benyalala beti hwu, behwa gumbuludzo langu.
22 Shule kwe ndalebeleka bakabe basingatjalebe tjimwe,
matama angu akabe edothekela mu zebe dzabo zubuyanana.
23 Bakabe bendilindila se bakalinda vula,
beashama se nthu una nyota mu nsi we nyawuko.
24 Ndakabe ndibamwemwetelela apa basina kugalabgwe,
penya kwe tjiso tjangu kwakabe kubasimisa.
25 Ndakashalula zila yabo ngono agala sa she wabo,
ndakagala sa mambo pakati kwe babhayani babe,
sa iye unonyaladza banolila.