Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
2 Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
4 Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
5 Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers 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 from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
8 But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
9 Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
10 Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
11 Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
13 But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
14 Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
15 Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
16 Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
17 Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
18 And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
19 The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
20 “Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
21 Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
24 And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
25 Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
26 For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
28 And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
29 For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
30 He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
