Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
“Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na? Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
4 Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila, usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na? Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
17 Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?
Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
19 The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze; abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,
Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
