1
Tena kulikuwa na siku hao wana wa Mungu walipokwenda kujihudhurisha mbele za Bwana, Shetani naye akaenda kati yao, ili kujihudhurisha mbele za Bwana.
On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.
2
Bwana akamwuliza Shetani, Umetoka wapi? Shetani akamjibu Bwana, na kusema, Natoka katika kuzunguka-zunguka duniani, na katika kutembea huku na huku humo.
“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
3
Bwana akamwuliza Shetani, Je! Umemwangalia huyo mtumishi wangu Ayubu? Kwa kuwa hapana mmoja aliye kama yeye duniani, mtu mkamilifu na mwelekevu, mwenye kumcha Mungu na kuepukana na uovu; naye hata sasa anashikamana na utimilifu wake, ujapokuwa ulinichochea juu yake, ili nimwangamize pasipokuwa na sababu.
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”
4
Shetani akamjibu Bwana, na kusema, Ngozi kwa ngozi, naam, yote aliyo nayo mtu atayatoa kwa ajili ya uhai wake.
“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
5
Lakini sasa nyosha mkono wako, uuguse mfupa wake na nyama yake, naye atakukufuru mbele za uso wako.
But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
6
Bwana akamwambia Shetani, Tazama, yeye yumo mkononi mwako; lakini tunza tu uhai wake.
“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”
7
Basi Shetani akatoka mbele za uso wa Bwana, akampiga Ayubu na majipu mabaya tangu wayo wa mguu hata utosi wa kichwa.
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
8
Naye akashika kigae cha kujikunia; akaketi majivuni.
And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.
9
Ndipo mkewe akamwambia, Je! Wewe hata sasa washikamana na utimilifu wako? Umkufuru Mungu, ukafe.
Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10
Lakini yeye akamwambia, Wewe wanena kama mmoja wa hao wanawake wapumbavu anenavyo. Je! Tupate mema mkononi mwa Mungu, nasi tusipate na mabaya? Katika mambo hayo yote Ayubu hakufanya dhambi kwa midomo yake.
“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
11
Basi ikawa hao rafikize Ayubu watatu walipopata habari ya mabaya hayo yote yaliyomfikilia, wakaja kila mtu kutoka mahali pake; nao ni Elifazi Mtemani, na Bildadi Mshuhi, na Sofari Mnaamathi; wakapatana pamoja ili waende kumlilia Ayubu na kumtuliza moyo.
Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.
12
Basi walipovua macho yao, nao wakali mbali, wasimtambue, wakainua sauti zao na kulia; kila mmoja akararua joho yake, wakarusha mavumbi juu ya vichwa vyao kuelekea mbinguni.
When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.
13
Kisha wakaketi nchi pamoja naye muda wa siku saba, mchana na usiku, wala hapana mmoja aliyenena naye neno lo lote; kwa maana waliona ya kuwa mashaka yake aliyo nayo ni makuu mno.
Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.