Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
2 “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
3 Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
4 Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
6 For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
7 You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
8 while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
9 You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
10 Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
11 it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
12 Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
14 Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
15 Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
16 They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
18 But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
21 Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
24 and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
25 then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
26 Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
28 Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
29 When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
