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 ta pe Kalunga uusama
1 Hugunina Job okwa popi e ta thingi esiku lyokuvalwa kwe.
Job ta popi
2-3 Esiku nda valwa nali thingwe,
nuusiku mbwiyaka kwa tiwa: “Okamati ke ya ko!”
4 Esiku ndyoka nali shituke omilema;
Kalunga komegulu ine li dhiladhila,
nuuyelele inau li minikila.
5 Omilema nomuzizimba gweso nagu li luudhile,
niikogo nayi li siikile;
uuluudhe nau li kuwikile.
6 Uusiku mbwiyaka nau ninge omilema;
inau yalulilwa momasiku gomumvo,
wo inau ya momwaalu gwoomwedhi.
7 Muusiku mbwiyaka inamu valwa sha,
muwo inamu uvika ondigolo.
8 Mboka haa thingi omasiku, naye shi ninge,
oyo tuu mboka yi ilongekidha okupendutha Leviatan.
9 Oonyothi dhongula nadhi luudhe;
okutegelela eluwa naku ninge osima,
uusiku inau mona oonte dhongula.
10 Oshoka inau edhilila ndje po osheelo shoshivalelo shameme,
u siikile omeho gandje gaa tale iihuna.
11 Omolwashike inaandi nyangwa pokuvalwa,
ndi se sho ndi li pokupulumuthwa?
12 Omolwashike oongolo dhameme dha yakula ndje,
nomagundji ge ga yamutha ndje?
13 Ando ngashingeyi onda vululukwa nonda thuwa,
14 opamwe naakwaniilwa naapangeli yevi, mboka yi itungile oombala,
ihe ngashingeyi omakulukuma gowala.
15 Onda li ndi na okukala nda fa omalenga,
ngoka gu udhitha omagumbo gago oshingoli noshisiliveli.
16 Nenge omolwashike inaandi holekwa mevi nda fa omupononwa,
ongaashi okahanona inaaka mona uuyelele wetango?
17 Mombila aakaanakalunga otaa hulitha po okuyona kwawo,
omo moka aaloloki taa vululukwa.
18 Aapika wo otaa kala mo ye na ombili;
itaa pulakene we omagandagulo.
19 Aanenentu naadhinwa oye thike pamwe,
nomupika okwa manguluka komuhona gwe.
20 Omolwashike mbo ye li muudhigu taa ethiwa ya kale nomwenyo?
Omolwashike aanaluhodhi taa pewa uuyelele?
21 Oya tegelela eso, ihe itali thiki;
otaye li kongo nuupenda lya fa eliko.
22 Itaa nyanyukwa, manga inaaya sa e taa fumvikwa.
23 Omuntu ngoka Kalunga e mu nine iiholekwa,
omolwashike e na okukala kombanda yevi e li mekondeka?
24 Peha lyokulya otandi lili;
omahodhi gandje otaga matuka ga fa omeya.
25 Shoka hashi tilitha nokuhalutha ndje,
osha ningilwa ndje.
26 Kandi na mbili, kandi na luthuwo;
kandi na vululuko, ihe epiyagano lyowala.
