Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
4 Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
17 Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?
Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
19 The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,
Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, 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, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
