1 Ipapo Elihu kati,
2 “Ihwani matama angu, imwi balume bakatjenjela,
mundibhulutane, imwi banoziba,
3 Zebe dzohwa kene matama ezipa,
koga se lulimi gulabila zojiwa kuti kene zozipa.
4 Ngati shaluleni tjakalulwama,
ngatiboneni pakati kwedu kuti tjakalulwama ini.
5 Ngoti Jobe iye wati, ‘Andina nlandu,
koga Ndzimu unolandula ndulamo yangu,
6 nenguba ndisina nlandu, ndotogwa ndili nnyepi,
mbonje yangu aitopola nenguba ndisina tjandatjinya.’
7 Ndiupi nthu unonga Jobe kene,
iye unong'wa madado se vula kene?
8 Unogala ntutshi ne banothama mbipo,
unoshingidzana ne bathu babi.
9 Unoti, ‘Akutobhatsha tjimwe
kushathila Ndzimu.’
10 “Ndizo mundibhulutane imwi balume be hwisiso,
ngakube kule kule ne Ndzimu kuti ungathama bubi,
kukule na Masimbawose kuti ashinge tjisiitjo.
11 Unopa bathu mbayilo kuyendidzana ne zwabathama
unopa mmwe ne mmwe kwa kanfanila.
12 Ngelebeswa Ndzimu aaungathame bubi
Masimbawose abangapambuse tjakatambunuka.
13 Apa ndiani wakaupa simba le kulaula shango kene,
ndiani wakaupa ndaulo ye shango yose kene?
14 Ha Ndzimu ungazwitolegwa meya yawo,
ukazwikubunganyigwa mafemo awo,
15 ipapo bathu bose babe bewofa,
bebgwilila mu hwuluba.
16 “Ha una kuhwisisa, ihwa woku,
bhulutana tjandinoleba.
17 Apa iye usingade ndulamo ungabusa kene?
Apa ungasola iye wakalulwama ne una masimba?
18 Apa ate iwo unodwa bomambo uti ate betjimwe kene?
Apa ate iwo unodwa banotolegwa pezhugwi uti babi kene?
19 Automa ne balauli
kene kuli kutolela bafumi pezhugwi kupinda bashayi,
ngobe ibo bose nshingo we maboko awo.
20 Tingana tikafa takafala busiku.
Ndzimu unotiloba tikafa
bakasima unobalabhulila kutjena nge tjinyala.
21 “Ngoti mesho awo anobona zila dze nthu,
unobona thambo dzidze dzose.
22 Akuna zhalima lakati zwititi,
lingabgwata banothama bubi.
23 Ndzimu autosheta kuti ungabigila nthu tjibaka,
kuti azhe mbeli kwawo mu kusumikilisiwa.
24 Unolobesa bana masimba kuzhe kwe kushakisisa,
kabiga bamwe mu magalo abo.
25 Ngobe unoziba zwabanothama,
unobadusila kutjena kabalobesa tjinyolotjo.
26 Unoloba shamu banothama bubi,
mbeli kwe mmwe ne mmwe akalinga,
27 ngobe bakaufupatila,
bakasibe ne hanya nge zila dzawo.
28 Bakakombeledza bashayi kuti balilile ku Ndzimu
ngono ukahwa tjililo tjabo bekumbila bhatsho.
29 Ngono koga ha Ndzimu unganyalala zwawo,
ndiani ungautilika nlandu kene?
Ha ungasumbika buso gwawo, ndiani ungaubona kene?
Ngoti upezhugwi kwe itjaba ne nthu ngofanana,
30 ngoti akuna nthu usina Ndzimu ungabusa,
ngoti ungayisa bathu ku ndashiko koga.
31 “Kuna wakatongoti ku Ndzimu,
‘Ndi nlandu koga anditjowotjinya kakale,
32 undidiye tjandisingabone,
ha ndina nlandu, anditjowothama kakale.’
33 Apa unoti uthame tjinoshakwa ndiwe kene,
koga iwe ulamba kushanduka kene?
Ndiwe wakafanila kutola thambo kusi imi,
Ndizo kee leba tjaunoziba.
34 Bathu bana hwisiso banoti kundili,
ne wakatjenjela unohwa tjandinoleba unowoti,
35 ‘Jobe unoleba ngoshaya luzibo,
matama awe aatopa tjedza.’
36 Kanukani tjinolebgwa ndi Jobe,
nge kuti unolebeleka koga se nthu mbi.
37 Unopapha jinyo lile nge kupanduka,
unodadila Ndzimu mbeli kwedu,
unowatsha matama awe enyanyayidza Ndzimu.”
Elihu Continues
You Men Think You Are Wise
1 Elihu said:
2 You men think you are wise,
but just listen to me!
3 Think about my words,
as you would taste food.
4 Then we can decide the case
and give a just verdict.
5 Job claims he is innocent
and God is guilty
of mistreating him.
6 Job also argues that God
considers him a liar
and that he is suffering severely
in spite of his innocence.
7 But to tell the truth,
Job is shameless!
8 He spends his time with sinners,
9 because he has said,
“It doesn't pay to please God.”
If Any of You Are Smart
10 If any of you are smart,
you will listen and learn
that God All-Powerful
does what is right.
11 God always treats everyone
the way they deserve,
12 and he is never unfair.
13 From the very beginning,
God has been in control
of all the world.
14 If God took back the breath
that he breathed into us,
15 we humans would die
and return to the soil.
16 So be smart and listen!
17 The mighty God is the one
who brings about justice,
and you are condemning him.
18 Indeed, God is the one
who condemns unfair rulers.
19 And God created us all;
he has no favorites,
whether rich or poor.
20 Even powerful rulers die
in the darkness of night
when they least expect it,
just like the rest of us.
God Watches Everything We Do
21 God watches everything we do.
22 No evil person can hide
in the deepest darkness.
23 And so, God doesn't need
to set a time for judgment.
24 Without asking for advice,
God removes mighty leaders
and puts others in their place.
25 He knows what they are like,
and he wipes them out
in the middle of the night.
26 And while others look on,
he punishes them
because they were evil
27 and refused to obey him.
28 The persons they mistreated
had prayed for help,
until God answered
their prayers.
29 When God does nothing,
can any person or nation
find fault with him?
30 But still, he punishes rulers
who abuse their people.
31 Job, you should tell God
that you are guilty
and promise to do better.
32 Then ask him to point out
what you did wrong,
so you won't do it again.
33 Do you make the rules,
or does God?
You have to decide—
I can't do it for you;
now make up your mind.
34 Job, anyone with good sense
can easily see
35 that you are speaking nonsense
and lack good judgment.
36 So I pray for you to suffer
as much as possible
for talking like a sinner.
37 You have rebelled against God,
time after time,
and have even insulted us.