Bildad's First Speech
How Long Will You Talk?
1 Bildad from Shuah said:
2 How long will you talk
and keep saying nothing?
3 Does God All-Powerful
stand in the way of justice?
4 He made your children pay
for their sins.
5 So why don't you turn to him
6 and start living right?
Then he will decide
to rescue and restore you
to your place of honor.
7 Your future will be brighter
by far than your past.
Our Ancestors Were Wise
8 Our ancestors were wise,
so learn from them.
9 Our own time has been short,
like a fading shadow,
and we know very little.
10 But they will instruct you
with great understanding.
11 Papyrus reeds grow healthy
only in a swamp,
12 and if the water dries up,
they die sooner than grass.
13 Such is the hopeless future
of all who turn from God
14 and trust in something as frail
as a spider's web—
15 they take hold and fall
because it's so flimsy.
16 Sinful people are like plants
with spreading roots and plenty
of sun and water.
17 They wrap their roots tightly
around rocks.
18 But once they are pulled up,
they have no more place;
19 their life slips away,
and other plants grow there.
20 We know God doesn't reject
an innocent person
or help a sinner.
21 And so, he will make you happy
and give you something
to smile about.
22 But your evil enemies
will be put to shame
and disappear forever.
Bilidadi la diyaamu foloo
1 Bituŋ Bilidadi Suhankoo ye jaabiroo ke ko:
2 I be i dahaa la ñiŋ kuwolu fo la waati jumaa le la?
I daakumoolu keta foño baa kenseŋo ti.
3 Fo Alla ka tooñaa nakari le baŋ?
Waraŋ fo Alla Tallaa ka tiliŋo nakari le baŋ?
4 Niŋ i diŋolu ye junube kuwo ke,
Alla le ye ì dundi ì la junube kuwo maasiiboo kono.
5 Niŋ i be Alla ñini la,
aduŋ i be Alla Tallaa la hiinoo daani la,
6 niŋ i seneyaata, aduŋ i tilinta,
a be koyiriŋ ne ko, a be i la kuwo juubee la le,
aduŋ a be i seyindi la le ko i be ñaameŋ nuŋ.
7 I foota meŋ bee la, wo te ke la feŋ ti,
niŋ i ye a niŋ feŋo laa, Alla be naa meŋ dii la i la.
8 Ñininkaaroo ke jamaanoolu la mennu tambita,
i ye a juubee, ì la moo foloolu ye muŋ ne je.
9 Ntolu mu dindiŋolu le ti, m̀ maŋ feŋ loŋ,
ǹ wuluu saŋolu maŋ mee,
ì ka tambi ko niiniyo.
10 Fo wo moo foloolu la kumoolu te i kawandi la baŋ,
ì ye mennu fo i ye ka bo niŋ ì la fahaamuroo la?
11 Fo farasaañaŋo si faliŋ noo dulaa to baŋ,
daameŋ maŋ ke ñamputuŋñaa ti?
Fo baakintoo si baluu noo dulaa to baŋ,
daameŋ maŋ ke jii dulaa ti?
12 Niŋ jiyo jaata, itolu le foloo be noro la,
janniŋ ì kaa waatoo be sii la.
13 Moolu mennu bee ka ñina Alla la, la siniŋ saamoo ka ke teŋ ne.
Moo kuruŋo niŋ jiki buka faa.
14 Ì la jikoo ka muluŋ ne komeŋ boorajuloo waraŋ taaliŋ jaloo.
15 Niŋ i ñajita a kaŋ, a te loo noo la,
niŋ i jikita a la, a te labaŋ na.
16 Moo kuruŋolu ka muluŋ ne komeŋ fiifeŋolu,
mennu ye jiyo soto a ñaama,
ì be bambandiŋ hani tiloo kono,
ì be janjandiŋ naakoo karoo bee la.
17 Ì suloolu be miniŋ-minindiŋ bere tuŋo la,
ì be bambandiŋ beroolu bala.
18 Bari niŋ ì naata ì wutu jee,
moo te a loŋ noo la ko, ì nene ka tara nuŋ jee le.
19 A juubee, moo kuruŋolu la kontaanoo daŋo bee ka ke ñiŋ ne ti.
Moo doolu le ka naa finti, wolu ye ì la palaasoo taa.
20 Alla te balaŋ na moo to, meŋ maŋ sootaari soto,
aduŋ a te kuu jawu kelaalu so la semboo la.
21 A be i kontaanindi la le, i ye niiseewoo soto.
22 Mennu ye i koŋ, a be wolu duŋ na malu kuwo le kono,
aduŋ moo kuruŋolu yaalu be kasaara la le.
