UJobe 22
1 U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na? Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
3 Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
Widows hast thou sent empty away, 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 troubleth thee;
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods 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 the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!
13 Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh on the vault of the heavens.
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?
16 Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;
17 Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
Who said unto God, Depart from us! and what could the Almighty do to them?
18 Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
Yet he filled their houses with good. 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.’
Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction 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 shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
And put the precious ore with the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the torrents,
25 lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
