UJobe 15
1 Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
2 “Kambe indoda ehlakaniphileyo ingaphendula ngeze nje loba igcwalise isisu sayo ngomoya otshisayo wempumalanga na?
Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire?
3 Ingadaza inkani ngamazwi angatsho lutho, ngezinkulumo ezingelasisindo na?
You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you,
4 Wena uze weyise ukulunga njalo uphazame lokukhonza uNkulunkulu.
to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God.
5 Isono sakho sikhuthaza umlomo wakho; usuthethe ulimi lwamaqili.
For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers.
6 Umlomo wakho yiwo okulahlayo, hatshi owami; izindebe zakho zifakaza ububi bakho.
Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you.
7 Nguwe yini umuntu wokuqala ukuzalwa? Wabakhona kuqala kulezintaba na?
Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills?
8 Uyake ulalele yini enkundleni kaNkulunkulu? Nguwe wedwa yini ololwazi?
Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you?
9 Kuyini okwaziyo wena thina esingakwaziyo? Ulemibono bani wena thina esingelayo?
What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know?
10 Asebezimpunga lamakhehla bavumelana lathi, amadoda amadala kuloyihlo.
There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers.
11 Induduzo zikaNkulunkulu kazikwanelisi yini, amazwi akhulunywa kamnandi kuwe?
Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this.
12 Kungani uvumela ukufuqwa yinhliziyo na, kungani amehlo akho eqwayiza,
Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things?
13 uze ubhodlise ulaka lwakho kuNkulunkulu ukhihlize amazwi anjalo ngomlomo wakho?
Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth?
14 Umuntu uyini ukuthi abe ngohlanzekileyo na, lozelwe ngowesifazane ongaba ngcwele?
What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?
15 Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izingilosi zakhe, njalo lamazulu engathembekanga kuye,
Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight.
16 pho umuntu ongcolileyo ke, oxhwalileyo, onatha ububi njengamanzi!
How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?
17 Lalela kimi ngikuchazele; wothi ngikutshele esengakubonayo,
I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen.
18 lokho osekwafakazwa yizihlakaniphi, bengafihli lutho abaluthatha kubokhokho babo
The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers,
19 (abayibo kuphela abaphiwa ilizwe njalo akwaze kwedlula muntu wezizweni phakathi kwabo):
to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them.
20 Ngezinsuku zakhe zonke umuntu omubi uhlutshwa yizinhlungu, kube yisihluku seminyaka yonke ayibekelweyo.
The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
21 Imisindo eyesabisayo iyagcwala ezindlebeni zakhe; nxa kusithi kuyalunga, izikliwi zimhlasele.
The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.
22 Ulahlekelwa lithemba lokuwuphepha umnyama; umiselwe inkemba.
He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side.
23 Uyantula nje abe yikudla kwamanqe; uyazi ukuthi usuku lobumnyama selusondele.
When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand.
24 Usizi lobuhlungu emoyeni bumlethela uvalo; inhlupho ziyamgabhela, njengenkosi isilungele ukuhlasela,
Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.
25 ngoba efumbathele uNkulunkulu inqindi, ezimisela ukulwa loSomandla,
For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty.
26 aqholoze amhlasele ngesihlangu esiqinileyo, esilohlonzi.
He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck.
27 Lanxa ezimuke ubuso bungaka, umkhaba ulenga ngedanga,
Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides.
28 uzahlala emadolobheni angamanxiwa lezindlini ezingahlali muntu, izindlu eziwohlokayo zibe yinqumbi.
He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs.
29 Kasayikunotha futhi lenotho yakhe kayiyikuma, lezifuyo zakhe kazisayikugcwala ilizwe lonke.
He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth.
30 Kayikuphepha emnyameni; ilangabi lizabunisa amahlumela akhe lomoya wokuphefumula komlomo kaNkulunkulu uzamthwalela kude.
He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth.
31 Makangazikhohlisi ngokuthemba okuyize, ngoba akazukuzuza lutho ngakho.
He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.
32 Singakapheli isikhathi sakhe uzajeziswa, lezingatsha zakhe kaziyikuhluma.
Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away.
33 Uzaba njengevini eliphundlwe izithelo zalo zingakavuthwa, njengesihlahla se-oliva sikhithiza impoko zaso.
He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower.
34 Ngoba ixuku labangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu kalizukuba lezithelo, lomlilo uzawahangula amathente alabo abathanda isivalamlomo.
For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money.
35 Bazithwala uhlupho babelethe ububi; isibeletho sabo sibumba inkohliso.”
He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit.
