Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said,
Wasephendula uBilidadi umShuhi wathi:
2 “How much longer will you go on talking like this? The words coming out of your mouth are a lot of hot air!
Koze kube nini ukhuluma lezizinto, lamazwi omlomo wakho abe ngumoya olamandla?
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
UNkulunkulu uyahlanekela isahlulelo yini? Kumbe uSomandla uyahlanekela ukulunga yini?
4 Your children must have sinned against him, and so they deserved the punishment he inflicted on them.
Uba abantwana bakho bonile kuye, yena usebalahlile emandleni esiphambeko sabo;
5 But if you pray to God and ask for his help,
uba wena umdinga uNkulunkulu ngovivi, uncenge kuSomandla;
6 if you live a clean life and do what is right, then he would act to make things right for you in your home.
uba uhlambulukile, uqotho; isibili khathesi ubezavuka ngenxa yakho, aphumelelise indawo yokuhlala yokulunga kwakho.
7 Though you began with next to nothing, you will end up with so much!
Lanxa ukuqala kwakho bekukuncinyane, kube kanti isiphetho sakho sizakwanda kakhulu.
8 Why don't you ask what previous generations discovered, examine what our ancestors found out? We were born yesterday and don't know anything!
Ngoba ake ubuze esizukulwaneni sakuqala, uzilungisele isidingo saboyise.
9 Our days on earth fade as quickly as a passing shadow.
Ngoba singabezolo, njalo kasazi, ngoba insuku zethu emhlabeni ziyisithunzi.
10 Won't they teach you and explain what they know?
Kabayikukufundisa yini, bakutshele, bakhuphe amazwi enhliziyweni yabo?
11 Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
Imihlanga ingakhula lapho okungelaxhaphozi khona yini? Ibhuma likhule lapho okungelamanzi khona?
12 Even without being cut, while they are still flowering, they wither faster than grass.
Nxa lisebuluhlazeni balo lingakakhiwa, kube kanti libuna kuqala kwazo zonke izihlahlakazana.
13 This is what happens to everyone who forgets God. The hopes of those who live without God come to nothing.
Zinjalo indlela zabo bonke abamkhohlwayo uNkulunkulu, lethemba lomzenzisi lizabhubha.
14 Their confidence is like holding on to a flimsy spider's web.
Othemba lakhe lizaqunywa, lokuthemba kwakhe kuyibulembu besayobe.
15 They look to their home to provide security, but it provides no support. They try to hang onto it, but it doesn't last.
Uyeyama endlini yakhe, kodwa kayimi; ubambelela kiyo, kodwa kayihlali.
16 Those who live without God are like a luxuriant plant growing in the sun, spreading its shoots all over the garden.
Uluhlaza phambi kwelanga, lamahlumela akhe aphuma esivandeni sakhe.
17 It twists its roots down through the stones, and holds on to rock.
Impande zakhe zithandele enqunjini; ubona indawo yamatshe.
18 But when it's cut down, the place where it was disowns it, saying, ‘I never even saw you.’
Uba emchitha endaweni yakhe, izamphika ithi: Kangizange ngikubone.
19 Its life is over, and others spring up from the earth to take its place.
Khangela, le yintokozo yendlela yakhe; njalo kuzakhula abanye emhlabathini.
20 Look, God doesn't reject someone who is innocent, and he doesn't support those who are guilty.
Khangela, uNkulunkulu kayikumlahla opheleleyo, kabambi isandla sabenzi bobubi.
21 He can make you laugh with happiness again and shout for joy.
Aze agcwalise umlomo wakho ngohleko, lezindebe zakho ngokumemeza kwentokozo.
22 Those who hate you will be put to shame, and the place where the wicked live will be destroyed.”
Abakuzondayo bazakwembeswa ngenhloni, lethente lababi lingabi khona.
