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 unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
3 Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
[Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or [is it] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
Will he reprove 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 infinite?
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
Thou hast 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 troubleth thee;
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
Or darkness, [that] thou canst not 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 sayest, How doth God know? can 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 in the circuit of heaven.
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
17 Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
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.’
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
Acquaint now thyself 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, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
Then shalt thou 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 shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then shalt thou have thy delight 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 shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
