Bildad's First Speech
How Long Will You Talk?
1 Bildad from Shuah said:
2 How long will you talk
and keep saying nothing?
3 Does God All-Powerful
stand in the way of justice?
4 He made your children pay
for their sins.
5 So why don't you turn to him
6 and start living right?
Then he will decide
to rescue and restore you
to your place of honor.
7 Your future will be brighter
by far than your past.
Our Ancestors Were Wise
8 Our ancestors were wise,
so learn from them.
9 Our own time has been short,
like a fading shadow,
and we know very little.
10 But they will instruct you
with great understanding.
11 Papyrus reeds grow healthy
only in a swamp,
12 and if the water dries up,
they die sooner than grass.
13 Such is the hopeless future
of all who turn from God
14 and trust in something as frail
as a spider's web—
15 they take hold and fall
because it's so flimsy.
16 Sinful people are like plants
with spreading roots and plenty
of sun and water.
17 They wrap their roots tightly
around rocks.
18 But once they are pulled up,
they have no more place;
19 their life slips away,
and other plants grow there.
20 We know God doesn't reject
an innocent person
or help a sinner.
21 And so, he will make you happy
and give you something
to smile about.
22 But your evil enemies
will be put to shame
and disappear forever.
Taata Biledada ro: 'Dialo Ezana rundi Taenji iro dri
1 'Dooko Biledada Sua'ba zatadrite ekye:
2 Mile ŋga kwoi tana atane mu'du eŋwanye,
ata miro oli ronye ono siya?
3 Lu topi pa taŋgye ro gindi;
kode nda ri gindi takado oyeako ya?
4 A'dona ŋgàga miro ye takozi te Lu lomvo,
ta'doro nda eza ànya te oso ànya kegyebe ronye.
5 Oko ondro ka'do nyetadrite ago nyeji Lu Mbarapara te;
6 ondro ka'do nya'dote 'diri ago wäṛiro,
'dooko endaro nda ikyina ndi mi opane
ago ogo päṛina mi ndi ŋgase ŋgye be a'done miri sina 'do si.
7 Ŋgadriamba se nya'dobe sina käti 'do toto fere
oko se nyaoyebe ogo a'done sina 'do a'done ndi ndra.
8 Yauono miṛi tavouni se kyeno kai vona;
ago nyusu ta ŋgase täpii amaro kuniyibe ro.
9 Ori amaro toto fereŋwa, mäni ŋga aza ko alona;
tu oriro amaro 'bädri ya ka lävu oso lindri kabe lävu gyini drisi 'do ronye.
10 Oko mi'ba lidri tavouni'bà se kyeno kai kembayi mi;
ago kitiyi ta miri ni ya ànyaro yasi.
11 Okyi ombana ndi vose gyi ako ya ya?
Äjääyi edrena ndi tesi vose tayi ako ya ya?
12 Ondro gyi kosete gbe oko ànya wi ṛo teinye dri giṛiŋwaro ogaako vuru;
ànya wi ṛo käti ice azi drisi.
13 Lidri se kije ta Lu rote a'do ànyaro oso okyi kai ronye;
mio'ba Lu ako'ba ro okyena 'da.
14 Ànya kayi taoyi ŋga lifulifu ya ago mbayimbayi nini roya.
15 Ànya kayi ruäti mbayimbayi lomvo oko äti ànya kote.
Ànya ka rubaṛi lomvoigye oko ni kote edrene.
16 Lidri kozi iro oso ŋga kyi'dikyi'di kabe uhwe kitu dri ronye,
oso kabe oba ämvu yasi ronye.
17 Paji ànyaro baṛirute kuniŋwai lomvosi
ago baṛirute anda luutu lomvosi.
18 Oko ondro eŋgye ànya te andrwi ni vo ànyaro yasi oko,
'diaza ni kote unine ekye sedri ànya orivoya lau.
19 'Do ni riyä liti ànyaro ro owo;
azii ikyi uruna vo ànyaro teni.
20 Oko Lu e'be ta'diri'ba aza kote alona
ago ye ŋgaopa kote takozi oye'bai ri.
21 Nda ogo o'bana mi 'da ugune kpa to'di,
ago otrene riyä si,
22 oko nda ezina driupi 'da ànya se yana osoro milomvo iyi dri,
ago 'ba takozi'bai ro pereruna 'da.