Nilifanya agano na macho yangu; Basi nawezaje kumwangalia msichana?
"I made a covenant with my eyes, How then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
Kwani sehemu ya Mungu itokayo juu ingekuwa nini, Na urithi wa Mwenyezi utokao juu?
For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?
Je! Siyo msiba kwa wasio haki, Na hasara kwao watendao uovu?
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?
Je! Yeye hazioni njia zangu, Na kuzihesabu hatua zangu zote?
Doesn't he see my ways, And number all my steps?
Kwamba nimetembea katika ubatili, Na mguu wangu umeukimbilia udanganyifu;
"If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot has hurried to deceit
(Na nipimwe katika mizani iliyo sawasawa, Ili Mungu aujue uelekevu wangu);
(Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know my integrity);
Kwamba hatua yangu imekengeuka na kuiacha njia, Na moyo wangu kuyaandama macho yangu, Tena kwamba kipaku cho chote kimeshikamana na mikono yangu;
If my step has turned out of the way, If my heart walked after my eyes, If any defilement has stuck to my hands,
Basi na nipande, mwingine ale; Naam, mazao ya shamba langu na yang'olewe.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
Kama moyo wangu ulishawishwa kwa mwanamke, Nami nimeotea mlangoni pa jirani yangu;
"If my heart has been enticed to a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;
Ndipo hapo mke wangu na asage kwa mwingine, Na wengine na wainame juu yake.
Then let my wife grind for another, And let others sleep with her.
Kwani hilo lingekuwa kosa kuu; Naam, lingekuwa ni uovu wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi;
For that would be a heinous crime; Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:
Kwa kuwa ni moto uteketezao hata Uharibifu, Nao ungeyang'oa maongeo yangu yote.
For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.
Kama nimeidharau daawa ya mtumishi wangu, au ya kijakazi changu, Waliposhindana nami;
"If I have despised the cause of my man-servant Or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
Basi Mungu atakapoinuka nitafanya nini? Naye atakapozuru, nitamjibuje?
What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?
Je! Huyo aliyenifanya mimi ndani ya tumbo, siye aliyemfanya na yeye? Si yeye mmoja aliyetufinyanga tumboni?
Didn't he who made me in the womb make him? Didn't one fashion us in the womb?
Ikiwa nimewanyima maskini haja zao, Au kama nimeyatia kiwi macho ya mwanamke mjane;
"If I have withheld the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
Au kama nimekula tonge langu peke yangu, Mayatima wasipate kulila;
Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless has not eaten of it
(La, tangu ujana wangu alikua pamoja nami kama kwa baba; Nami nimekuwa ni kiongozi cha mjane tangu tumbo la mamangu);
(No, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, Her have I guided from my mother's womb);
Ikiwa nimemwona mtu kuangamia kwa kukosa nguo, Au wahitaji kukosa mavazi;
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;
Ikiwa viuno vyake havikunibarikia, Au kama hakupata moto kwa manyoya ya kondoo zangu;
If his heart hasn't blessed me, If he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece;
Ikiwa nimewainulia mayatima mkono, Nilipoona msaada wangu langoni;
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
Basi bega langu na lianguke kutoka mahali pake, Na mkono wangu uvunjike mfupani mwake.
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And my arm be broken from the bone.
Kwani msiba utokao kwa Mungu ulikuwa na kitisho kwangu, Na kwa sababu ya ukuu wake sikuweza kufanya neno.
For calamity from God is a terror to me, By reason of his majesty I can do nothing.
Ikiwa nimeifanya dhahabu kuwa tumaini langu, Na kuiambia dhahabu safi, Wewe u tegemeo langu;
"If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence;'
Kama nilifurahi kwa kuwa mali yangu yalikuwa mengi, Na kwa sababu mkono wangu umepata vitu vingi;
If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;
Kama nililitazama jua lilipoangaza, Au mwezi ukiendelea katika kung'aa;
If I have seen the sun when it shined, Or the moon moving in splendor,
Na moyo wangu umeshawishwa kwa siri, Na midomo yangu imeubusu mkono wangu;
And my heart has been secretly enticed, My hand threw a kiss from my mouth:
Hilo nalo lingekuwa uovu wa kuadhibiwa na waamuzi; Kwani ningemwambia uongo Mungu aliye juu.
This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God who is above.
Kama nilifurahi kwa kuangamia kwake huyo aliyenichukia, Au kujitukuza alipopatikana na maovu;
"If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him;
(Naam, sikukiacha kinywa changu kufanya dhambi Kwa kuutaka uhai wake kwa kuapiza);
(Yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);
Kama watu wa hemani mwangu hawakunena, Ni nani awezaye kumpata mtu asiyeshibishwa na yeye kwa nyama?
If the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?'
Mgeni hakulala njiani; Lakini nilimfungulia msafiri milango yangu;
(The foreigner has not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveler);
Ikiwa kama mwanadamu nimeyafunika makosa yangu, Kwa kuuficha uovu wangu kifuani mwangu;
If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding my iniquity in my heart,
Kwa sababu niliwaogopa mkutano mkubwa, Na dharau la jamaa lilinitia hofu, Hata nilinyamaa kimya, nisitoke mlangoni-
Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and didn't go out of the door--
Laiti ningekuwa na mtu wa kunisikia! (Tazama, sahihi yangu ni hii, Mwenyezi na anijibu); Laiti ningekuwa na hayo mashitaka yaliyoandikwa na adui yangu!
Oh that I had one to hear me! (Behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); Let the accuser write my indictment!
Hakika ningeyachukua mabegani; Ningejifungia mfano wa kilemba.
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; And I would bind it to me as a crown.
Ningemwambia hesabu ya hatua zangu Ningemkaribia kama vile mkuu.
I would declare to him the number of my steps. As a prince would I go near to him.
Kama nchi yangu yalia juu yangu, Na matuta yake hulia pamoja;
If my land cries out against me, And the furrows of it weep together;
Kama nimeyala matunda yake pasipo kulipa, Au kama nimewafanya wenyewe kupotewa na uhai;
If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, Or have caused the owners of it to lose their life:
Miiba na imee badala ya ngano, Na magugu badala ya shayiri. Maneno ya Ayubu yamekoma hapa.
Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.