UJobe 22
1 U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
2 “Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na? Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou are righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou make thy ways perfect?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
Is it for thy fear of him that he reproves thee, that he enters with thee into judgment?
5 Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
For thou have taken pledges from thy brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
Thou have not given water to the weary to drink, and thou have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
But as for the mighty man, he had the land. And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
Thou have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila, usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubles thee,
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
or darkness, so that thou cannot see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na? Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
And thou say, What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
Will thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
who said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for us?
18 Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
Yet he filled their houses with good things. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze; abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
The righteous see it, and are glad. And the innocent laugh them to scorn,
20 ‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
Saying, Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them, the fire has consumed.
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. By this good shall come to thee.
22 Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shall be built up, thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
Then thou shall lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
Yea, the Almighty will be thy treasure, and precious silver to thee.
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then shall thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shall lift up thy face to God.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
Thou shall make thy prayer to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shall pay thy vows.
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
Thou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee. And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
When they cast thee down, thou shall say, There is lifting up, and he will save the humble man.
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
He will deliver even him who is not innocent. Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
