UJobe 22
1 U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
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 Shaddai, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
5 Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
Isn't your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
You haven't given water to the weary to drink, and you 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 earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
You 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 around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12 UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na? Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
"Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are.
13 Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
You 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 doesn't see. He walks on the vault of the sky.'
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
Will you 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 Shaddai 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. The innocent ridicule them,
20 ‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
"Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.
22 Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
If you return to Shaddai, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
Shaddai will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and shall lift up your face to God.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
And you will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' And he will save the humble.
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
