UJobe 22
1 U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —
2 “Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na? Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
Unto GOD, can a man act as friend? Surely a discreet man befriendeth himself!
3 Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou shouldst be righteous? or any profit, that thou shouldst be blameless in thy ways?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
Is it, for thy reverence, that he will accuse thee? will enter with thee into judgment?
5 Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
Is not, thy wickedness, great? and, without end, [are not] thine iniquities?
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
Surely then hast been wont to put thy brother in pledge, for nothing, and, the garments of the ill-clad, hast thou stripped off:
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
No water—to the weary, hast thou given to drink, and, from the hungry, thou hast withheld bread:
8 lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
A man of might, to him, pertaineth the land, and, the favorite, dwelleth therein:
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
Widows, thou hast sent away empty, and, the arms of the fatherless, thou dost crush.
10 Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila, usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
For this cause, round about thee, are snares, and a dread startleth thee suddenly;
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
Or darkness—thou canst not see, and, a flood of waters, covereth thee.
12 UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na? Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
Is not, GOD, [in] the height of the heavens? Behold, then, the head of the stars, that they are high.
13 Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
Wilt thou say then, What doth GOD know? Out through a thick cloud, can he judge?
14 Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
Dark clouds, are a veil to him, and he cannot see, or, the vault of the heavens, doth he walk?
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
The path of the ancient time, wilt thou mark, which the men of iniquity trod?
16 Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
Who were snatched away before the time, and, a stream, washed away their foundation?
17 Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
Who had been saying unto GOD, Depart from us! and—What can the Almighty do for himself?
18 Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
Yet, he, had filled their houses with good! The counsel of the lawless, then, is far from me:
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze; abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
The righteous shall see and rejoice, and, the innocent, shall laugh them to scorn:
20 ‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
If our assailants do not vanish, then, their abundance, a fire consumeth!
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
Shew thyself to be one with him—I pray thee—and prosper, thereby, shall there come on thee blessing.
22 Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
Accept, I beseech thee, from his mouth—instruction, —and lay up his sayings in thy heart.
23 Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
If thou return unto the Almighty and submit thyself, if thou far remove perversity from thy tent,
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
Then lay up, in the dust, precious ore, and, among the stones of the torrent-beds, fine gold:
25 lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
So shall, the Almighty, become, thy precious ores, yea glittering silver unto thee!
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For, then, in the Almighty, shalt thou take exquisite delight, and shalt lift up—unto GOD—thy face;
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
Thou shalt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and, thy vows, shalt thou pay;
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
And thou shalt decree a purpose, and it shall be fulfilled unto thee, and, upon thy ways, shall have shone a light;
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
When men cast themselves down, then thou shalt say: Up! And, him that is of downcast eyes, shall he save;
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.
