UJobe 34
1 U-Elihu waqhubeka esithi:
Furthermore Elihu responded, and said: —
2 “Zwanini amazwi ami, lina madoda ahlakaniphileyo; lalelani kimi, lina madoda ayizifundiswa.
Hear, ye wise men, my words, and, ye who know, give ear unto me;
3 Phela indlebe iyawahlola amazwi njengolimi lunambitha ukudla.
For, the ear, trieth words, as, the palate, tasteth in eating.
4 Asizihluzeleni thina okulungileyo; kasifundeni ndawonye okuhle.
What is right, let us choose for ourselves, Let us know, among ourselves, what is good;
5 UJobe uthi, ‘Kangilacala, kodwa uNkulunkulu kangahluleli ngokulunga.
For Job hath said—I am righteous, But, GOD, hath turned away my right;
6 Loba mina ngiqondile, kuthiwa ngilamanga; loba ngingelacala, umtshoko wakhe ungihlaba isilonda esingelaphekiyo.’
Concerning mine own right, shall I tell a falsehood? Incurable is my disease—not for any transgression.
7 UJobe kanti ungumuntu bani, onatha ukuklolodela njengamanzi?
What man is like Job? He drinketh in scoffing like water;
8 Uzwanana labantu abenza ububi; uhambisana labantu ababi.
And is on the way to keep company, with the workers of iniquity, and to walk with lawless men.
9 Ngoba uthi, ‘Umuntu kakumsizi ngalutho ukuzama ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu.’
For he hath said, It profiteth not a man, when, his good pleasure, is with God.
10 Ngakho lalelani kimi lina madoda azwisisayo. Kakube khatshana laye uNkulunkulu ukwenza ububi, khatshana kukaSomandla ukona.
Wherefore, ye men of mind, hearken unto me, —Far be it, that, GOD, should be lawless, or, the Almighty, be perverse!
11 Uyamphindisela umuntu ngalokho akwenzileyo; umehlisela lokho okufanele ukuziphatha kwakhe.
For, what any son of earth doeth, he repayeth him, and, according to every man’s course, he causeth him to find.
12 Kakungeni engqondweni ukuthi uNkulunkulu angenza ububi, ukuthi uSomandla angakutshila ukwahlulela ngokulunga.
Nay, verily, GOD, will not condemn unjustly, —nor, the Almighty, pervert justice.
13 Ngubani owambekayo phezu komhlaba na? Ngubani owathi kalawule umhlaba wonke na?
Who set him in charge of the earth? Or who appointed [him] the whole world?
14 Aluba wayengathanda asuse umoya wakhe lokuphefumula,
If he should set against him his heart, His spirit and his inspiration, unto himself he should withdraw.
15 bonke abantu babengatshabalala kanyekanye, umuntu wayezabuyela othulini.
All flesh together, would cease to breathe, and, the earth-born, unto dust, would return.
16 Nxa lilokuzwisisa, zwanini lokhu; lalelani lokhu engikutshoyo.
If then [thou hast] understanding, hear this, Give thou ear to the teaching of my words: —
17 Kambe lowo ozonda ukwahlulela ngokulunga angabusa na? Liyamlahla yini Yena oqotho njalo olamandla?
Shall, the very hater of right, control? Or, the just—the mighty one, wilt thou condemn?
18 Kayisuye yini othi emakhosini, ‘Kalisizi lutho,’ athi kwabayizikhulu, ‘Libabi,’
Doth one say to a king, Abandoned one! Or, Lawless one! unto nobles?
19 ongatshengisi ukwazisa amakhosana kulabanye loba athande abanothileyo kulabayanga, ngoba bonke bangumsebenzi wezandla zakhe?
For he hath shewn no respect of persons unto princes, neither hath he recognised the rich rather than the poor? For, the work of his hands, are they all.
20 Bayafa nje masinyane, loba phakathi kobusuku; abantu bayanyikinywa bedlule; abalamandla bayasuswa kungelasandla somuntu.
In a moment, they die, even in the middle of the night, —A people are convulsed when they pass away, A mighty one is removed, without hand;
21 Amehlo akhe aphezu kwezindlela zabantu; ubona zonke izinyathelo zabo.
For, his eyes, are on the ways of a man, and, all his footsteps, he beholdeth, —
22 Akulandawo emnyama loba ithunzi elisithileyo, lapho abenzi bobubi abangacatsha khona.
No darkness, and no death-shade, where the workers of iniquity may hide.
23 UNkulunkulu kasweli ukuthi aphinde abahlolisise abantu, ukuze abalethe ekwahlulelweni phambi kwakhe.
For, unto no man, doth he appoint a repetition, —in going unto GOD in judgment;
24 Engaqalanga wahlola uyabaphahlaza abalamandla abeke abanye endaweni yabo.
He shattereth mighty ones unsearchably, and setteth up others in their stead:
25 Ngoba ezinanzelela izenzo zabo, uyabagenqula ebusuku bahlifizeke.
Therefore, he observeth their works, —and overturneth [them] in a night, and they are crushed;
26 Uyabajezisa ngenxa yobubi babo kube segcekeni emuntwini wonke,
In the place of lawless men, hath he chastised them, in presence of beholders.
27 ngoba baphambuka ekumlandeleni abaze banaka layiphi indlela yakhe.
Forasmuch, as they turned from following him, and, none of his ways, did they teach;
28 Benza ukukhala kwabayanga kweza phambi kwakhe, laye wakuzwa ukukhala kwabasweleyo.
Causing to reach him the outcry of the poor, Yea, the outcry of the oppressed, he heareth.
29 Kodwa nxa elokhu ezithulele, ngubani ongamsola na? Angafihla ubuso bakhe ngubani ongambona na? Kanti uphezu komuntu lesizwe ngokufanayo,
When, he, giveth quiet, who then shall condemn? And, when he hideth [his] face, who then shall sing of him? whether unto a nation or unto mankind altogether,
30 ukwalela ongamesabiyo uNkulunkulu ukuthi abuse, ukuze angafakeli abantu izifu.
That impious men may not reign, nor be ensnarers of the people.
31 Akesithi umuntu athi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Ngilecala kodwa kangisayikona njalo.
For, unto GOD, hath one [ever] said—I have borne punishment, I will not be perverse;
32 Ngifundisa lokho engingakuboniyo; nxa ngenze okubi, kangisayikuphinda ngikwenze.’
What I see not, do, thou, shew me, If, perverseness, I have wrought, I will do it no more?
33 Pho uNkulunkulu akuvuze ngokwentando yakho na, wena usala ukuphenduka? Kumele ukhethe wena, hatshi mina; ngakho ngitshela lokho okwaziyo.
According to thy mind, must he requite it, that thou hast refused? For, thou, must choose, and not, I, What then thou knowest, speak!
34 Amadoda alokuqedisisa azakutsho, amadoda ahlakaniphileyo abangizwayo ngisithi kini,
The men of mind, will say to me, yea any wise man hearkening unto me: —
35 ‘UJobe ukhuluma engelalwazi; amazwi akhe kawalambono.’
Job, without knowledge, doth speak, and, his words, are not with discretion.
36 Oh, uJobe angasake alingwe ngokweqileyo ngoba uphendule njengomuntu omubi!
Would that Job might be tested to the uttermost, for replying with the men of iniquity:
37 Phezu kwesono sakhe wengeza ukuhlamuka; uyakloloda ngokuqakeza izandla zakhe phakathi kwethu andise amazwi akhe aphikisa uNkulunkulu.”
For he addeth—unto his sin—rebellion, In our midst, he clappeth his hands, and multiplieth his sayings against GOD.
