Job's Reply to Eliphaz
I Have Often Heard This
1 Job said:
2 I have often heard this,
and it offers no comfort.
3 So why don't you keep quiet?
What's bothering you?
4 If I were in your place,
it would be easy to criticize
or to give advice.
5 But I would offer hope
and comfort instead.
6 If I speak, or if I don't,
I hurt all the same.
My torment continues.
7 God has worn me down
and destroyed my family;
8 my shriveled up skin proves
that I am his prisoner.
9 God is my hateful enemy,
glaring at me and attacking
with his sharp teeth.
10 Everyone is against me;
they sneer and slap my face.
11 And God is the one
who handed me over
to this merciless mob.
Everything Was Going Well
12 Everything was going well,
until God grabbed my neck
and shook me to pieces.
God set me up as the target
13 for his arrows,
and without showing mercy,
he slashed my stomach open,
spilling out my insides.
14 God never stops attacking,
15 and so, in my sorrow
I dress in sackcloth
and sit in the dust.
16 My face is red with tears,
and dark shadows
circle my eyes,
17 though I am not violent,
and my prayers are sincere.
18 If I should die,
I beg the earth not to cover
my cry for justice.
19 Even now, God in heaven
is both my witness
and my protector.
20 My friends have rejected me,
but God is the one I beg
21 to show that I am right,
just as a friend should.
22 Because in only a few years,
I will be dead and gone.
Tadrioza Eyobo ro: Ma Tazevoedre'ba be Vo'buyakuru ya
1 Eyobo zatadrite ekye:
2 Meri ata nonye ono kätina ṛote;
ami cini orivoya 'dii'dwe'ba kozi yi.
3 Inye'do ata dämbäṛä amiro oso oli ronye 'do äduna i'dwo ya?
Edi ka ami o'bani ugu kaladiṛine inye ya?
4 Ondro ka'do nyà'do gwo ni vo ma kigye ono ya,
aba matana ta cini kpa miri oso nyàbe atana 'do ronye.
Aba miŋgyiṛina drî maro ndi amiri.
5 Mänina ndi ami tombane ata kala maro rosi
ata 'dii'dwero maro edrena lomvoluwu amiri ndi.
6 Caoko mata ca, 'bidri lomvoluwu maro roko,
ago ma'do ca titiro ye ŋga opa aza ko.
7 Endaro Lu 'ba mate orweorwero;
nda 'ba katidri maro te tufune kpeye.
8 Nda embe mate ndi se ni tazevoedre yi molomvo;
ago a'do orweorwe maro ono,
ate uruna aya taenji maro ka'da ro.
9 Lu towa ma te kyila si ago yaoso si;
nda nyaozite malomvo,
kyila'baazi maro endre mate yaoso si.
10 Lidri kate ma ugu;
ànya otoyikalate ŋgulu malomvosi ago kayi biṛi maro o'bina.
11 Lu ozo ma te lidri undiro rigye,
ago vo mate drì lidri kozi roya.
12 Sedri ma ori liatokpero, oko nda fu mate riya;
Lu ru ma te gboro yasi ago toŋgo ma te trotro.
Lu diri ma te oso ŋga u'boro ronye,
13 ago ka ma u'bo lamadri cini yasi,
ätu wa koṛomoci maro te äträ;
nda a'do kote yauni be, ago kyeweye maro ladate vuru.
14 Nda 'bo ma te kpe kpe;
ago gota ma te oso kyila'baazi ronye.
15 Ma'di boŋgo guniya rote ago masote malomvo,
marite vuru ago maso drî te durufu ya.
16 Miliyite madale mi maro kate ṛitiri,
mi maro gate ṛiṛi ago esote äkpu,
17 caoko menji ta aza kote siomba oyesi,
ago mätu maro orivoya ŋgye.
18 Äye 'bädri, nyada'do kari maro se korobe ono ko!
Ago mi'ba läziuzi maro kodri ko!
19 Ca yauono tazevedre'ba maro orivoya vo'buyakuru ya
ndase karuepi maresi orivoya kuru lau.
20 Bereazii maro kayi ma ugu 'dolo ro;
miendre ka oro ni mi maro yasi Lu ri.
21 Male 'diaza ri Lu ejine ta maro ta,
oso lidri kabe taeji bereazi ndaro ta ronye.
22 Yauono ndroa maro kate ugu okye,
ago ma te oye oyine liti se egoako ana ya.