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, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth himself.
3 Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing.
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry.
8 lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, And broken the arms of the fatherless.
10 Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila, usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear confoundeth thee;
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water 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 stars, how high they are!
13 Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
14 Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.”
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
Wilt thou take the old way Which wicked men have trodden,
16 Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
Who were cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
Who said unto God, “Depart from us!” And, “What can the Almighty do to us?”
18 Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be the counsel of the wicked!
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze; abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
The righteous see their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision.
20 ‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
“Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!”
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thus shall prosperity return to 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 put away iniquity from thy tent.
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
25 lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
Thou shalt pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows.
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with thee, And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
When men are cast down, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save.
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
He will deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.
