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.
Bildad ma ziri Job
1 Tjazumba Bildad, Omusuak,
ongwa zira a tja:
2 “Mo mana ruṋe okuhungira
omambo woye ngu
maye hingi otja otjivepo?
3 Ndjambi ka pikamisa ousemba;
neye ka kaerisa okutjita
imbi mbi ri osemba.
4 Ngahino ovanatje voye va tura
ondjo komurungu wa Ndjambi,
neye otje ve verera ourunde wawo.
5 Nungwari nambano ove tanauka
nu riyarikaṋa ku
Ndjambi Omunamasaaehe;
6 ove tji u ri omusemba
nomukohoke tjiri,
Ndjambi meya ne ku vatere,
na yarura ko onganda
yoye otja ondjambi yoye.
7 Outumbe woye auhe mbu wa
pandjara owo kau nokurira otjiṋa
pu imbwi Ndjambi mbu mee kekupa.
8 “Ngo tji tara kondjiviro
yovandu woruveze orukuru;
konḓonona imbi
ootate mbi va mwine.
9 Ominyo vyetu omisupi,
katu notjiṋa tji tu tjiwa oparukaze;
omayuva wetu ye kapita tjimuna
otjizire tji matji tapakaṋa ehi.
10 Nungwari ovarumendu ovakuru
ovanandjiviro ngave ku honge;
puratena ku imbi mbi va hungira.
11 “Otuu kamaatu hapa
poṋa pu pe hi nomeva;
oto kamaatu vazewa pendje
yotjirindinoko oparukaze.
12 Omeva tji ya pwire,
otuu otutu ri otutenga okukoka,
ngunda ingee atu ri otuṱiṱi
okukondwa nokuungurisiwa.
13 Ovandu mbe zemba
Ndjambi va sana kotuu twi;
omaundjiro wovarunde ya pandjara.
14 Omeriyamekero wawo maye
sana kotungovi twovitjauvi.
15 Tji mave yama kotungovi twi,
oto maa tu ve ṱiza are?
Tji mave riṱizire ku two otjongoze,
otwo matu ve
vatere okukurama are?
16 “Ovandu ovarunde ve nyomoka otja
ozohongwe kozohanya zeyuva,
otja ozohongwe nḓe
tandavara motjikunino atjihe.
17 Omize vyazo vi manga momawe
navi kakatere koruuwa aruhe peke.
18 Nungwari tji za zukurwa,
kape na umwe ngu ma tjiwa
kutja ozo onḓa ri poṋa mbo.
19 Tara, indji ondji ri ondjoroka
ovandu ovarunde ndji ve na yo,
nu varwe mave ya
nave yaruka motuveze twawo.
20 “Nungwari Ndjambi kamaa
isa imba mba ṱakama mu ye,
nu kamaa yandja
ombatero kovarunde.
21 Eye me ku yorisa,
nu ma tjiti kutja u yoroke,
22 nungwari eye ma eta
ohoṋi ku imba mbe ku tonda,
nozondanda zovanauvi maze zengi.”
