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.
Job ma unaunine Ndjambi
1 Kombunda yomapanga we tjiva haamene puye oure wotjivike, Job wa uta okuhungira na sengi eyuva rongwatero ye, 2-3 a tja:
“Ndjambi, senga eyuva rongwatero yandje,
senga ouṱuku ami mu mba pandukwa.
4 Ndjambi, rundurura eyuva ndo ri rire onḓorera.
O zemburuka ko eyuva ndo rukwao;
ape ya ko ondjerera rukwao mu ro.
5 Oro ngari rire eyuva ronḓorera noromuzororema;
vandeka eyuva ndo novikamba,
neyuva ari yerisa ko ozohanya zaro.
6 Zemisa ouṱuku mbo moure wombura aihe,
nu ngaa u varwa rukwao;
7 ngau rire ouṱuku ongaango,
nu mbu hi nondjoroka.
8 Raera ozondjai kutja ze senge eyuva ndo,
inḓa nḓe tjiwa okupendura Otjitjupamuriro.
9 O yerisa onyose yomuhuka;
nouṱuku mbo aa u tji ko.
10 Senga ouṱuku mbo mbwa tjita kutja mbi kwatwe,
nu mbwe ndji twa moumba na mondjenda.
11 “Me zeri kutja andakuzu
mba kokera mezumo ra mama,
poo e koka moruveze ndo ndu mba kwatwa.
12 Okutjavi mama tje ndji pukatera pomatumbo we?
Okutjavi tje ndji nyamisisa komavere we?
13 Andakuzu mba kokere moruveze ndo,
andakuzu nai mba suva,
14 amba rara otja ozombara novanane,
mba tungurura ozondjuwo zouhona ozonguru.
15 Nu etje rara tjimuna ovahivirikwa
mbe urisa ozondjuwo zawo nongoldo nosilveri,
16 poo tjimuna okanatje ku ka kwatwa aka koka.
17 Momaendo ovandu ovanauvi mave isa ouvi wawo,
novarumendu ovaungure mba urwa
korusenina mave munu orusuvo mu wo.
18 Nangarire ovapandekwa mave kara nohange,
ava kuturwa kondokohero na
komarakiza omakukutu wovatjevere vawo.
19 Imo ovatjiukwa novahatjiukwa ve ṱeki pamwe;
novakarere wina va kuturwa.
20 “Okutjavi ove tji mo tjiti kutja
ovandu ve kare mombamisiro?
Okutjavi tji mo yandja ondjerera
kovandu mbe noruhoze?
21 Owo mave undju onḓiro,
nungwari kamaai ya ko;
owo ve ritoororera eyendo
povihuze ngamwa avihe.
22 Owo ve kara nohange,
tji va koka nave pakwa.
23 Ndjambi u horeka ondjira yawo,
nu u i pata komikuma avihe.
24 Moruveze rwokurya ami me riri,
nu moruveze rwokunwa ami me tjeme.
25 Otjiṋa atjihe tji mbi tira tji rira ouatjiri;
natjihe tji mbi nooma na
tjo tji ya kombanda yandje.
26 Ami hi nohange, nu hi norusuvo,
nomauzeu wandje kamaaye yanda ko.”
