Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
2 “Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
“Kambe indoda ehlakaniphileyo ingaphendula ngeze nje loba igcwalise isisu sayo ngomoya otshisayo wempumalanga na?
3 He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
Ingadaza inkani ngamazwi angatsho lutho, ngezinkulumo ezingelasisindo na?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
Wena uze weyise ukulunga njalo uphazame lokukhonza uNkulunkulu.
5 It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
Isono sakho sikhuthaza umlomo wakho; usuthethe ulimi lwamaqili.
6 Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
Umlomo wakho yiwo okulahlayo, hatshi owami; izindebe zakho zifakaza ububi bakho.
7 Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
Nguwe yini umuntu wokuqala ukuzalwa? Wabakhona kuqala kulezintaba na?
8 Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
Uyake ulalele yini enkundleni kaNkulunkulu? Nguwe wedwa yini ololwazi?
9 What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
Kuyini okwaziyo wena thina esingakwaziyo? Ulemibono bani wena thina esingelayo?
10 We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
Asebezimpunga lamakhehla bavumelana lathi, amadoda amadala kuloyihlo.
11 Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
Induduzo zikaNkulunkulu kazikwanelisi yini, amazwi akhulunywa kamnandi kuwe?
12 Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
Kungani uvumela ukufuqwa yinhliziyo na, kungani amehlo akho eqwayiza,
13 Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
uze ubhodlise ulaka lwakho kuNkulunkulu ukhihlize amazwi anjalo ngomlomo wakho?
14 Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
Umuntu uyini ukuthi abe ngohlanzekileyo na, lozelwe ngowesifazane ongaba ngcwele?
15 Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izingilosi zakhe, njalo lamazulu engathembekanga kuye,
16 How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
pho umuntu ongcolileyo ke, oxhwalileyo, onatha ububi njengamanzi!
17 If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
Lalela kimi ngikuchazele; wothi ngikutshele esengakubonayo,
18 This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
lokho osekwafakazwa yizihlakaniphi, bengafihli lutho abaluthatha kubokhokho babo
19 those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
(abayibo kuphela abaphiwa ilizwe njalo akwaze kwedlula muntu wezizweni phakathi kwabo):
20 The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
Ngezinsuku zakhe zonke umuntu omubi uhlutshwa yizinhlungu, kube yisihluku seminyaka yonke ayibekelweyo.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
Imisindo eyesabisayo iyagcwala ezindlebeni zakhe; nxa kusithi kuyalunga, izikliwi zimhlasele.
22 They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
Ulahlekelwa lithemba lokuwuphepha umnyama; umiselwe inkemba.
23 They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
Uyantula nje abe yikudla kwamanqe; uyazi ukuthi usuku lobumnyama selusondele.
24 Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
Usizi lobuhlungu emoyeni bumlethela uvalo; inhlupho ziyamgabhela, njengenkosi isilungele ukuhlasela,
25 They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
ngoba efumbathele uNkulunkulu inqindi, ezimisela ukulwa loSomandla,
26 insolently attacking him with their shields.
aqholoze amhlasele ngesihlangu esiqinileyo, esilohlonzi.
27 They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
Lanxa ezimuke ubuso bungaka, umkhaba ulenga ngedanga,
28 But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
uzahlala emadolobheni angamanxiwa lezindlini ezingahlali muntu, izindlu eziwohlokayo zibe yinqumbi.
29 They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
Kasayikunotha futhi lenotho yakhe kayiyikuma, lezifuyo zakhe kazisayikugcwala ilizwe lonke.
30 They will not escape from the darkness. Like a tree whose shoots are burned up in a forest fire, the breath of God will blow him away.
Kayikuphepha emnyameni; ilangabi lizabunisa amahlumela akhe lomoya wokuphefumula komlomo kaNkulunkulu uzamthwalela kude.
31 They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
Makangazikhohlisi ngokuthemba okuyize, ngoba akazukuzuza lutho ngakho.
32 This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
Singakapheli isikhathi sakhe uzajeziswa, lezingatsha zakhe kaziyikuhluma.
33 like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
Uzaba njengevini eliphundlwe izithelo zalo zingakavuthwa, njengesihlahla se-oliva sikhithiza impoko zaso.
34 For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
Ngoba ixuku labangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu kalizukuba lezithelo, lomlilo uzawahangula amathente alabo abathanda isivalamlomo.
35 They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
Bazithwala uhlupho babelethe ububi; isibeletho sabo sibumba inkohliso.”
