UJobe 15
1 Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 “Kambe indoda ehlakaniphileyo ingaphendula ngeze nje loba igcwalise isisu sayo ngomoya otshisayo wempumalanga na?
"Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
3 Ingadaza inkani ngamazwi angatsho lutho, ngezinkulumo ezingelasisindo na?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Wena uze weyise ukulunga njalo uphazame lokukhonza uNkulunkulu.
Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
5 Isono sakho sikhuthaza umlomo wakho; usuthethe ulimi lwamaqili.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Umlomo wakho yiwo okulahlayo, hatshi owami; izindebe zakho zifakaza ububi bakho.
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 Nguwe yini umuntu wokuqala ukuzalwa? Wabakhona kuqala kulezintaba na?
"Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Uyake ulalele yini enkundleni kaNkulunkulu? Nguwe wedwa yini ololwazi?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 Kuyini okwaziyo wena thina esingakwaziyo? Ulemibono bani wena thina esingelayo?
What do you know, that we do not know? What do you understand, which is not in us?
10 Asebezimpunga lamakhehla bavumelana lathi, amadoda amadala kuloyihlo.
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father.
11 Induduzo zikaNkulunkulu kazikwanelisi yini, amazwi akhulunywa kamnandi kuwe?
Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
12 Kungani uvumela ukufuqwa yinhliziyo na, kungani amehlo akho eqwayiza,
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 uze ubhodlise ulaka lwakho kuNkulunkulu ukhihlize amazwi anjalo ngomlomo wakho?
That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 Umuntu uyini ukuthi abe ngohlanzekileyo na, lozelwe ngowesifazane ongaba ngcwele?
What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izingilosi zakhe, njalo lamazulu engathembekanga kuye,
Look, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 pho umuntu ongcolileyo ke, oxhwalileyo, onatha ububi njengamanzi!
how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water.
17 Lalela kimi ngikuchazele; wothi ngikutshele esengakubonayo,
"I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare:
18 lokho osekwafakazwa yizihlakaniphi, bengafihli lutho abaluthatha kubokhokho babo
(Which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
19 (abayibo kuphela abaphiwa ilizwe njalo akwaze kwedlula muntu wezizweni phakathi kwabo):
to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):
20 Ngezinsuku zakhe zonke umuntu omubi uhlutshwa yizinhlungu, kube yisihluku seminyaka yonke ayibekelweyo.
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 Imisindo eyesabisayo iyagcwala ezindlebeni zakhe; nxa kusithi kuyalunga, izikliwi zimhlasele.
A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.
22 Ulahlekelwa lithemba lokuwuphepha umnyama; umiselwe inkemba.
He doesn't believe that he shall return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
23 Uyantula nje abe yikudla kwamanqe; uyazi ukuthi usuku lobumnyama selusondele.
He wanders abroad for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Usizi lobuhlungu emoyeni bumlethela uvalo; inhlupho ziyamgabhela, njengenkosi isilungele ukuhlasela,
Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 ngoba efumbathele uNkulunkulu inqindi, ezimisela ukulwa loSomandla,
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against Shaddai;
26 aqholoze amhlasele ngesihlangu esiqinileyo, esilohlonzi.
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers;
27 Lanxa ezimuke ubuso bungaka, umkhaba ulenga ngedanga,
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
28 uzahlala emadolobheni angamanxiwa lezindlini ezingahlali muntu, izindlu eziwohlokayo zibe yinqumbi.
He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
29 Kasayikunotha futhi lenotho yakhe kayiyikuma, lezifuyo zakhe kazisayikugcwala ilizwe lonke.
He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth.
30 Kayikuphepha emnyameni; ilangabi lizabunisa amahlumela akhe lomoya wokuphefumula komlomo kaNkulunkulu uzamthwalela kude.
He shall not depart out of darkness. The flame shall dry up his branches. By the breath of God's mouth shall he go away.
31 Makangazikhohlisi ngokuthemba okuyize, ngoba akazukuzuza lutho ngakho.
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.
32 Singakapheli isikhathi sakhe uzajeziswa, lezingatsha zakhe kaziyikuhluma.
It shall be accomplished before his time. His branch shall not be green.
33 Uzaba njengevini eliphundlwe izithelo zalo zingakavuthwa, njengesihlahla se-oliva sikhithiza impoko zaso.
He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34 Ngoba ixuku labangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu kalizukuba lezithelo, lomlilo uzawahangula amathente alabo abathanda isivalamlomo.
For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
35 Bazithwala uhlupho babelethe ububi; isibeletho sabo sibumba inkohliso.”
They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit."
