Eliphaz's First Speech
Please Be Patient and Listen
1 Eliphaz from Teman said:
2 Please be patient and listen
to what I have to say.
* 3 Remember how your words
4 have guided and encouraged
many in need.
5 But now you feel discouraged
when struck by trouble.
6 You respect God and live right,
so don't lose hope!
7 No truly innocent person
has ever died young.
8 In my experience, only those
who plant seeds of evil
harvest trouble,
9 and then they are swept away
by the angry breath of God.
10 They may roar and growl
like powerful lions.
But when God breaks their teeth,
11 they starve, and their children
are scattered.
A Secret Was Told to Me
12 A secret was told to me
in a faint whisper—
13 I was overcome by sleep,
but disturbed by dreams;
14 I trembled with fear,
15 and my hair stood on end,
as a wind blew past my face.
16 It stopped and stood still.
Then a form appeared—
a shapeless form.
And from the silence,
I heard a voice say,
17 “No humans are innocent
in the eyes of God
their Creator.
18 He finds fault with his servants
and even with his angels.
19 Humans are formed from clay
and are fragile as moths,
so what chance do you have?
20 Born after daybreak,
you die before nightfall
and disappear forever.
21 Your tent pegs are pulled up,
and you leave this life,
having gained no wisdom.”
Elifasi la diyaamu foloo
1 Bituŋ Elifasi Temaninkoo ye jaabiroo ke ko:
2 Kori niŋ moo ye kuma fayi i kaŋ, a te i dimi la?
N te n daakumoolu muta noo la n kono.
3 A juubee, i ye yaamaroo dii jamaa le la,
i ye moo bataariŋolu maakoyi.
4 Niŋ moo lafita jenke la, i la kumakaŋolu le ka a tilindi.
Niŋ moo maŋ loo noo ka bambaŋ, ite le ka a bambandi.
5 Saayiŋ, bataa naata i faŋo kaŋ, i jikilateyita,
a ye i maa, i jikoo taata.
6 Fo i la Alla ñaasilaŋo maŋ dankeneyaa dii i la baŋ?
I maañaa maŋ sootaari soto, fo wo maŋ ke i ye jikoo ti baŋ?
7 Saayiŋ i hakiloo duŋ moo la baŋ,
moo meŋ maŋ feŋ ke, a ye halaki?
Moo tilindiŋo nene ka kasaara mintoo le?
8 Nte ye kuwo je wo le ñaama:
Moolu mennu ye kuu jawoo kunkoo sene, ì ye kataa fii jee,
niŋ sanjaanoo siita, ì be wo kiliŋo le kati la jee.
9 Alla ye a niijii ì kaŋ, ì faata,
a la kamfaa ye ì fee jana komeŋ saafoñotoo.
10 Moo kuruŋolu wiisata, ì bumbunta ko jatoo,
bari Alla ye ì tenkundi le, a ye ì ñiŋolu kati.
11 Ì keta ko jatoo,
meŋ maŋ feŋ soto, a be meŋ faa la ka a domo.
Ì faata, ì diŋolu bee janjanta.
12 Kiilaariyaa kumoo naata n kaŋ kulloo kono,
ŋa a feresoo le moyi.
13 M be siinoo baa le kono nuŋ,
bari siiboo la kuwo naata m barandi.
14 Kijafaroo niŋ silaŋo naata m muta,
m baloo bee be jarajara kaŋ.
15 Foñoo ye n ñaadaa fee,
m balatiyo bee ye n taama silaŋo kamma la.
16 Ŋa feŋ ne je looriŋ n ñaato,
bari n te a fo noo la, muŋ feŋ ne mu.
Deyoo be keriŋ, bituŋ n naata diyaamukaŋo moyi ko,
17 “Fo hadamadiŋo si tiliŋ noo Alla ñaa koto baŋ?
Hadamadiŋo si seneyaa noo a Daamansoo ñaatiliŋo la baŋ?
18 Alla maŋ laa a faŋo la Arijana dookuulaalu la,
a ye sootaaroo je hani a faŋo la malaayikoolu to le.
19 Wo to i ye a miira, a si laa hadamadiŋo la,
meŋ daata potoo la, meŋ daata ka bo bankoo bala,
meŋ faa be sooneeyaariŋ ko tumboo?
20 Hadamadiŋo si tara baluwo to soomandaa,
a ye faa wulaaroo ka yeemaŋ fo fawu,
moolu maŋ a loŋ meŋ be keriŋ.
21 Fo hadamadiŋo buka muluŋ ne ko tiriliisoo* baŋ?
Niŋ a juloolu firinta, a ye boyi,
hadamadiŋo niŋ ñaamembaliyaa be faa la le.”
