Jobe unong'ong'ola ku Ndzimu
1 Shule kwa ikoku, Jobe kazhula nlomo uwe ngono kalonga bhiso zhuba laakazwagwa nalo. 2 Jobe kalebeleka eti,
3 “Ungati zhuba landakazwagwa nalo lingaloba,
kose ne busiku gwakayi, ‘Mwana we mbisana wazwisengwa!’
4 Thamani kuti zhuba ilelo libe zhalima,
Dzene Ndzimu upezhugwi ungakangang'wa nge kwalo,
dzene kukasibe ne tjedza tjinopenya mulili.
5 Dzene zhalima ne dutshi zwingati zwi mulili.
Dzene makole kalikwitidza.
Dzene zhalima lingakulila tjedza tjalo.
6 Busiku igoguje ngagukuligwe nge zhalima!
Ngalisibaligwe mu mazhuba e gole kene kuli kugubalila mu mimwedzi.
7 Dzene busiku igoguje gukabe balumbila,
dzene kukasihwike nsindo we mpululu muguli.
8 Budzani ibabo banolonga bhiso mazhuba balonge bhiso zhuba ilelo,
ibabo banoziba kumusa zhithu le gungwa linoyi Livatani.
9 Thamani kuti nyenyedzi ye masasi itundubale,
dzene gungalindila suli tjedza tje zhuba
ngagukong'we ngobona mazazi ekutanga e zhuba mangwanana.
10 Ngobe aguzozhalila mikoba ye tjibumbilo tja mmeyangu,
gukasumbikila mesho angu mang'oni.
11 “Ini ndisakafa nditjazwagwa koga,
kene ndakatjinyikila mu tjibumbilo?
12 Ini kwakabe ne zwidwi kundiamutjila kene?
Ini kwabe ne mazhamu kundimwisa kene?
13 Ngobe ngwenu ndingabe ndililele nge mbakiso zwangu,
ndingabe ndililele ndakanyaluluka zwangu,
14 ndina bomambo ne bakumbuludzi be shango,
bakazwibakila magalo ngono ngwenu abe matongo,
15 kene ndina bakololo be bushe bakabe bana golide,
ibo bakabe bana ng'umba dzizhele siliva.
16 Kene ini ndisakabiganyiwa se wazwagwa asingatjile kene?
Se lushabana gusathu gukabona tjedza tje zhuba kene?
17 Ikweno babi bamisa kudziyidzika,
ikweno bakanyala bakanyaluluka.
18 Basungwa bagele bose bakaliga makumbo,
abatohwa hwi le nshingisi.
19 Batukunu ne bakulu bayikweno,
balanda bakasununguka muna botetshi babo.
20 “Ini tjedza tjipiwa umu kudziyidzika,
ne butjilo gupiwa una meya dzakagwadzika kene?
21 Ibabo banoyemula lufu ngono gusipo,
ibo banogushaka kupinda fumwa yakasumbikika,
22 ibo banoshatha kwazo ha bebona gomba le lufu.
23 Ini butjilo gupiwa nthu we zila dzakasumbikala,
iye wakabakiligwa bhakasa nge Ndzimu?
24 Ngoti shungu yangu yatjibe zojiwa zwangu,
ndotshinda ngo gomela kwangu kunonga vula inowunga.
25 Ngoti tjandagala nditja tjandishingikalila,
tjandagala nditja tjandiwila.
26 Andizo gadzikana, andina kunyaluluka,
kuzhe kwe mang'oni koga.”
Job's First Speech
Blot Out the Day of My Birth
1 Finally, Job cursed the day
of his birth
2 by saying to God:
3 Blot out the day of my birth
and the night when my parents
created a son.
4 Forget about that day,
cover it with darkness,
5 and send thick, gloomy shadows
to fill it with dread.
6 Erase that night from the calendar
and conceal it with darkness.
7 Don't let children be created
or joyful shouts be heard
ever again in that night.
8 Let those with magic powers
place a curse on that day.
9 Darken its morning stars
and remove all hope of light,
10 because it let me be born
into a world of trouble.
Why Didn't I Die at Birth?
11 Why didn't I die at birth?
12 Why was I accepted
and allowed to nurse
at my mother's breast?
13 Now I would be at peace
in the silent world below
14 with kings and their advisors
whose palaces lie in ruins,
15 and with rulers once rich
with silver and gold.
16 I wish I had been born dead
and then buried, never to see
the light of day.
17 In the world of the dead,
the wicked and the weary rest
without a worry.
* 18 Everyone is there—
19 where captives and slaves
are free at last.
Why Does God Let Me Live?
20 Why does God let me live
when life is miserable
and so bitter?
21 I keep longing for death
more than I would seek
a valuable treasure.
22 Nothing could make me happier
than to be in the grave.
23 Why do I go on living
when God has me surrounded,
and I can't see the road?
24 Moaning and groaning
are my food and drink,
25 and my worst fears
have all come true.
26 I have no peace or rest—
only troubles and worries.