1 “Ondjandero yomuinyo wandje i ri popezu.
Ami hi nokusora okusuvana;
kape notjiṋa tji tja sewa po ku
ami posi ye yendo porwaro.
2 Ami mba rire omunyekererwa;
me tarere, owo tji mave
ndji nyekerere tjinene.
3 Ami owami omuṱakame, Ndjambi.
Yakura omambo wandje.
Kape na warwe ngu ma zeuparisa
omambo nga ngu me hungire.
4 Ove wa pata omitima vyawo kokuzuva,
o ve yandjere ko kutja
ve ndji havere nambano.
5 Omuano omukuru mau tja nai:
Omundu u wovisa omapanga
we mokuvepa ovimariva
novanatje ve ve muna ouzeu motjiṋa hi.
6 Nambano Ndjambi we
ndji isa po omunyekererwa kovandu,
nowo mave ya nave
ndji tjekere omate momurungu.
7 Oruhoze rwandje rwa hara
okundjipoṱuparisa;
omaoko nomarama wandje
ya rambuka tjimuna otjizire.
8 Imba mbe tja owo ovaṱakame va uruma,
nu owo avehe ve ndji
pangura kutja owami omurunde.
9 Imba mbe tja owo ovatengwandu
ve panḓera pokutja ve ri osemba.
10 Nungwari avehe vawo tji ve
ya nave kurama komurungu wandje,
ami himee munu nangarire
umwe wawo ngu nozondunge.
11 “Omayuva wandje ya kapita;
omeripuriro wandje ya yanda mba;
nu hi tji nomaundjiro rukwao.
12 Nungwari omapanga wandje
maye tja ouṱuku owo omutenya;
owo mave tja ondjerera i ri popezu,
nungwari ami me tjiwa
kutja me kara monḓorera.
13 Omaundjiro wandje otjovakoke porwatjo,
mu me rangavara mozomboṱu monḓorera.
14 Eyendo, me tja ondi ri tate,
nomativa ngu maye ndji ri, me tja
onge ri mama novaṱena kwandje.
15 Ku ku nomaundjiro ku ami, ku pi?
Owaṋi ngu me ndji munine ouṋingandu?
16 Omaundjiro kaye nokuyenda puna ami,
tji me pundu motjovakoke.”
Job Complains to God
My Hopes Have Died
1 My hopes have died,
my time is up,
and the grave is ready.
2 All I can see are angry crowds,
making fun of me.
3 If you, Lord, don't help,
who will pay the price
for my release?
4 My friends won't really listen,
all because of you,
and so you must be the one
to prove them wrong.
5 They have condemned me,
just to benefit themselves;
now blind their children.
6 You, God, are the reason
I am insulted and spit on.
7 I am almost blind with grief;
my body is a mere shadow.
8 People who are truly good
would feel so alarmed,
that they would become angry
with my worthless friends.
9 They would do the right thing
and because they did,
they would grow stronger.
10 But none of my friends
show any sense.
11 My life is drawing to an end;
hope has disappeared.
12 But all my friends can do
is offer empty hopes.
13 I could tell the world below
to prepare me a bed.
14 Then I could greet the grave
as my father
and say to the worms,
“Hello, mother and sisters!”
15 But what kind of hope is that?
16 Will it keep me company
in the world of the dead?
