Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz, from Teman, replied to Job. He said,
Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
2 “Will you please let me say something to you? I am not [RHQ] able to remain silent [any longer].
“Nxa umuntu angaphosa ilizwi nje kuwe uzacunuka na? Kodwa ngubani ongathula angakhulumi na?
3 In the past, you have instructed/taught many people, and you have encouraged those who were weak.
Khumbula ukuthi sewabafundisa njani abanengi, ukuthi ubaqinise njani abalezandla ezibuthakathaka.
4 By what you said, you have helped those who (needed spiritual help/almost quit trusting in God) [MET], and you have enabled them to become spiritually strong again [MET].
Amazwi akho abasekele labo abakhubekayo; uwaqinisile amadolo axegayo.
5 But now, when you experience disasters, you become discouraged. The disasters hit you, and you are stunned.
Kodwa manje uhlupho luze kuwe, usuphela amandla; lukutshaya ubusudela ithemba.
6 You revere God; (does that not cause you to trust [in him]?/that should cause you to trust [in him].) [RHQ] If you were guiltless, you would [RHQ] be confident that [God] would not [have allowed] these disasters [to] happen to you!
Kungani ukukholwa kwakho kungabi yiso isibindi sakho na lezindlela zakho ezimsulwa zibe lithemba lakho na?
7 Think about this: Do innocent people die [while they are still young] [RHQ]? Does God get rid of godly people [RHQ]? [No!]
Khumbula manje: Ngubani owathi engelacala wabhubha na? Kungaphi lapho abaqotho abake babhujiswa khona na?
8 What I have experienced is this: [Just as] [MET] farmers who plant bad [seeds] do not harvest good [crops], [just as those who start] trouble for others, later bring trouble on themselves.
Ngokubona kwami labo abalima okubi lalabo abahlanyela ububi bavuna bona.
9 They die when God angrily blows his breath on them, when he is very angry with them.
Ngokuphefumula kukaNkulunkulu bayabhubha; ngokukhwaza kolaka lwakhe bayafa.
10 [Even though wicked people may be very powerful like] young lions, [God] will get rid of them [MET].
Izilwane zingabhonga zihwabhe, kodwa amazinyo ezilwane ezinkulu ayephuka.
11 [They will die like] fierce lions [that] starve to death when there are no animals that they can kill and eat, and [their children will be separated from each other like] young lions separate from each other [to find food].”
Isilwane siyafa ngokuswela ukudla besekuthi imidlwane yesilwanekazi ihlakazeke.
12 “I heard a message that someone came and whispered to me.
Kulethwe ilizwi kimi ngasese, indlebe zami zilizwile linyenyezwa.
13 He spoke to me at night when I was having a bad dream that disturbed/frightened me while I was fast asleep.
Phakathi kwamaphupho adungayo ebusuku, lapho abantu belele obukabhuka,
14 It caused me to be afraid and tremble; it caused all my bones to shake.
ukwesaba lokuthuthumela kwangifikela kwenza wonke amathambo ami aqhaqhazela.
15 A ghost glided past my face and caused the hair on [on the back of] my neck to stand straight up.
Kwathi tshazi umoya emehlweni ami, wahlasimula umzimba wami lenwele zami zema.
16 It stopped, but I could not see what form it had. But [I could sense that] there was some being in front of me, and it said in a quiet voice,
Umoya lowo wema, kodwa kangikwazanga ukuthi kuyini. Kwakumi into phambi kwamehlo ami, ngasengisizwa ilizwi elihelezayo:
17 ‘(Does God consider anyone to be righteous?/No human beings can be righteous in God’s sight!) [RHQ] (Their creator cannot consider them to be pure./Can their creator consider them to be pure?) [RHQ]
‘Kambe umuntu angalunga ukwedlula uNkulunkulu na? Umuntu angahlanzeka kuloMenzi wakhe na?
18 God cannot be sure that his own angels [will always do what is right]; he declares that some of them have done what is wrong.
Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izinceku zakhe, nxa ebeka izingilosi zakhe umlandu ngokona,
19 So he certainly cannot trust human beings who were made from dust and clay, who are crushed as easily as moths are crushed!
pho-ke kuzakuba njani kulabo abahlala ezindlini zodaka, ozisekelo zazo zisothulini, abahlifizeka lula njengenondo!
20 People are sometimes well in the morning, but in the evening they are dead. They are gone forever and do not even know it (OR, and no one pays any attention to it).
Phakathi kokusa lokuhlwa bayabhidlizwa babe yizicucu; bengananzwa langubani, bayabhubha kokuphela.
21 They are like [MET] tents that collapse [suddenly]: They die [suddenly] before they become wise.’”
Izintambo zamatende abo kazidonswa na, bafe bengelalwazi?’”
