Job 22
1 Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —
U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
2 Unto GOD, can a man act as friend? Surely a discreet man befriendeth himself!
“Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na? Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
3 Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou shouldst be righteous? or any profit, that thou shouldst be blameless in thy ways?
Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
4 Is it, for thy reverence, that he will accuse thee? will enter with thee into judgment?
Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
5 Is not, thy wickedness, great? and, without end, [are not] thine iniquities?
Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
6 Surely then hast been wont to put thy brother in pledge, for nothing, and, the garments of the ill-clad, hast thou stripped off:
Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
7 No water—to the weary, hast thou given to drink, and, from the hungry, thou hast withheld bread:
Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
8 A man of might, to him, pertaineth the land, and, the favorite, dwelleth therein:
lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
9 Widows, thou hast sent away empty, and, the arms of the fatherless, thou dost crush.
Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
10 For this cause, round about thee, are snares, and a dread startleth thee suddenly;
Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila, usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
11 Or darkness—thou canst not see, and, a flood of waters, covereth thee.
yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
12 Is not, GOD, [in] the height of the heavens? Behold, then, the head of the stars, that they are high.
UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na? Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
13 Wilt thou say then, What doth GOD know? Out through a thick cloud, can he judge?
Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
14 Dark clouds, are a veil to him, and he cannot see, or, the vault of the heavens, doth he walk?
Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
15 The path of the ancient time, wilt thou mark, which the men of iniquity trod?
Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
16 Who were snatched away before the time, and, a stream, washed away their foundation?
Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
17 Who had been saying unto GOD, Depart from us! and—What can the Almighty do for himself?
Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
18 Yet, he, had filled their houses with good! The counsel of the lawless, then, is far from me:
Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
19 The righteous shall see and rejoice, and, the innocent, shall laugh them to scorn:
Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze; abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
20 If our assailants do not vanish, then, their abundance, a fire consumeth!
‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
21 Shew thyself to be one with him—I pray thee—and prosper, thereby, shall there come on thee blessing.
Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Accept, I beseech thee, from his mouth—instruction, —and lay up his sayings in thy heart.
Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
23 If thou return unto the Almighty and submit thyself, if thou far remove perversity from thy tent,
Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
24 Then lay up, in the dust, precious ore, and, among the stones of the torrent-beds, fine gold:
lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
25 So shall, the Almighty, become, thy precious ores, yea glittering silver unto thee!
lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
26 For, then, in the Almighty, shalt thou take exquisite delight, and shalt lift up—unto GOD—thy face;
Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 Thou shalt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and, thy vows, shalt thou pay;
Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
28 And thou shalt decree a purpose, and it shall be fulfilled unto thee, and, upon thy ways, shall have shone a light;
Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
29 When men cast themselves down, then thou shalt say: Up! And, him that is of downcast eyes, shall he save;
Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
30 He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.
Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
