1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? 3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? 4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. 5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; 6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth .
7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it ? 12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.
13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; 14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. 15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: 16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: 17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. 19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
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.”