Job 22
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
2 “Is a man profitable to God, Because a wise man is profitable to himself?
Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
3 Is it a delight to the Mighty One That you are righteous? Is it gain, That you make your ways perfect?
Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
4 Because of your reverence Does He reason [with] you? He enters with you into judgment:
Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
5 Is your wickedness not abundant? And there is no end to your iniquities.
Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
6 For you take a pledge of your brother for nothing, And you strip off the garments of the naked.
Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
7 You do not cause the weary to drink water, And you withhold bread from the hungry.
Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
8 As for the man of arm—he has the earth, And the accepted of face—he dwells in it.
Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
9 You have sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
10 Therefore snares [are] all around you, And sudden fear troubles you.
Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
11 Or darkness—you do not see, And abundance of waters covers you.
kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
12 Is God not high [in] the heavens? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
13 And you have said, How has God known? Does He judge through thickness?
Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
14 Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He does not see, And He habitually walks [above] the circle of the heavens.
Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
15 Do you observe the path of the age, That men of iniquity have trodden,
Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
16 Who have been cut down unexpectedly? A flood is poured out on their foundation.
Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
17 Those saying to God, Turn aside from us, And what does the Mighty One do to them?
Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
18 And He has filled their houses [with] good (And the counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
19 The righteous see and they rejoice, And the innocent mocks at them:
Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
20 Surely our substance has not been cut off, And fire has consumed their excellence.
Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
21 Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace, Thereby your increase [is] good.
Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Please receive a law from His mouth, And set His sayings in your heart.
Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
23 If you return to the Mighty you are built up, You put iniquity far from your tents.
Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
24 So as to set a defense on the dust, And a covering on a rock of the valleys.
Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
25 And the Mighty has been your defense, And silver [is] strength to you.
Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
26 For then you delight yourself on the Mighty, And lift up your face to God,
Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 You make supplication to Him, And He hears you, And you complete your vows.
Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
28 And you decree a saying, And it is established to you, And light has shone on your ways.
Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
29 For they have made low, And you say, Lift up. And He saves the bowed down of eyes.
Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
30 He delivers the one [who is] not innocent, Indeed, he has been delivered By the cleanness of your hands.”
Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
