Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
2 If a man tries to converse with thee, will thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
“Nxa umuntu angaphosa ilizwi nje kuwe uzacunuka na? Kodwa ngubani ongathula angakhulumi na?
3 Behold, thou have instructed many, and thou have strengthened the weak hands.
Khumbula ukuthi sewabafundisa njani abanengi, ukuthi ubaqinise njani abalezandla ezibuthakathaka.
4 Thy words have upheld him who was falling, and thou have made firm the feeble knees.
Amazwi akho abasekele labo abakhubekayo; uwaqinisile amadolo axegayo.
5 But now it comes to thee, and thou faint. It touches thee, and thou are troubled.
Kodwa manje uhlupho luze kuwe, usuphela amandla; lukutshaya ubusudela ithemba.
6 Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, the integrity of thy ways thy hope?
Kungani ukukholwa kwakho kungabi yiso isibindi sakho na lezindlela zakho ezimsulwa zibe lithemba lakho na?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
Khumbula manje: Ngubani owathi engelacala wabhubha na? Kungaphi lapho abaqotho abake babhujiswa khona na?
8 According as I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.
Ngokubona kwami labo abalima okubi lalabo abahlanyela ububi bavuna bona.
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
Ngokuphefumula kukaNkulunkulu bayabhubha; ngokukhwaza kolaka lwakhe bayafa.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
Izilwane zingabhonga zihwabhe, kodwa amazinyo ezilwane ezinkulu ayephuka.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
Isilwane siyafa ngokuswela ukudla besekuthi imidlwane yesilwanekazi ihlakazeke.
12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it.
Kulethwe ilizwi kimi ngasese, indlebe zami zilizwile linyenyezwa.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
Phakathi kwamaphupho adungayo ebusuku, lapho abantu belele obukabhuka,
14 fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
ukwesaba lokuthuthumela kwangifikela kwenza wonke amathambo ami aqhaqhazela.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.
Kwathi tshazi umoya emehlweni ami, wahlasimula umzimba wami lenwele zami zema.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance of it. A form was before my eyes. There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
Umoya lowo wema, kodwa kangikwazanga ukuthi kuyini. Kwakumi into phambi kwamehlo ami, ngasengisizwa ilizwi elihelezayo:
17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker?
‘Kambe umuntu angalunga ukwedlula uNkulunkulu na? Umuntu angahlanzeka kuloMenzi wakhe na?
18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants, and he charges his agents with folly.
Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izinceku zakhe, nxa ebeka izingilosi zakhe umlandu ngokona,
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
pho-ke kuzakuba njani kulabo abahlala ezindlini zodaka, ozisekelo zazo zisothulini, abahlifizeka lula njengenondo!
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.
Phakathi kokusa lokuhlwa bayabhidlizwa babe yizicucu; bengananzwa langubani, bayabhubha kokuphela.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.
Izintambo zamatende abo kazidonswa na, bafe bengelalwazi?’”
