UJobe 36
1 U-Elihu waqhubeka esithi:
And Elihu proceeded and said,
2 “Ake lingibekezelele okwesikhatshana ukuze ngilitshengise ukuthi kunengi okumele kutshiwo ngobuhle bukaNkulunkulu.
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
3 Ngiluzuza kude ulwazi lwami; ngithi ukwahlulela okulungileyo ngokukaMenzi wami.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
4 Yiba leqiniso ukuthi amazwi ami aqinisile; yena opheleleyo elwazini ulawe.
For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 UNkulunkulu ulamandla, kodwa keyisi muntu; ulamandla njalo katshedi ezimisweni zakhe.
Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
6 Ababi kabayekeli bephila kodwa abahluphekayo uyabapha okubafaneleyo.
He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
7 Kawasusi amehlo akhe kwabalungileyo; ubakhweza esihlalweni kanye lamakhosi abaphakamise nini lanini.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne doth he even set them for ever; and they are exalted.
8 Kodwa nxa abantu bebotshwe ngamaketane, bethiwe nko ngezibopho zezinhlupheko,
And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
9 uyabatshela lokho abakwenzileyo, ukuthi benze isono ngokuziphakamisa.
Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
10 Ubenza balalele ukuqondiswa abalaye ukuthi baphenduke ebubini babo.
And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 Nxa bemlalela bamkhonze, zonke insuku zabo eziseleyo zizaphumelela, leminyaka yabo ibe ngeyokusuthiseka.
If they hearken and serve [him], they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 Kodwa nxa bengalaleli, bazabhubha ngenkemba, bafe bengelalwazi.
But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
13 Abangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu bagodle ukusola enhliziyweni; loba angaze ababophe kabaceli ukusizwa.
But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:
14 Bafa besesebatsha, bephakathi kweziphingi ezingamadoda, ezihlala ezindaweni zokukhonzela.
Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 Kodwa labo abahluphekayo uyabakhulula ekuhluphekeni kwabo; ukhuluma labo besezinkathazweni zabo.
But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
16 Uyakulimukisa ukuthi uphume emihlathini yosizi uye endaweni ebanzi, ekhululekileyo njalo engelazibopho, ebumnandini betafula yakho igcwele izidlo ezimnandi.
Even so would he have allured thee out of the jaws of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and the supply of thy table [would be] full of fatness.
17 Kodwa manje usindwa yikwahlulelwa okulungele ababi; ukuthonisiswa lokwahlulelwa ngokulunga yikho osekukuduba.
But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
18 Qaphela kungabikhona okulingayo ngenotho; ungavumeli ukuthengwa ngemali kukususe endleleni.
Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
19 Kambe inotho yakho loba konke ukutshikatshika kwakho kungakusekela ukuze ungangeni osizini na?
Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
20 Ungalangazeleli ubusuku, ukuze uyohudula abantu ezindaweni zabo.
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
21 Qaphela ungangeni kokubi, okukhanya ingathi uyakuthanda kulokuhlupheka.
Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 UNkulunkulu uphakeme ngamandla akhe. Ngubani ongafundisa njengaye na?
Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
23 Ngubani omisele izindlela zakhe na, loba othe kuye, ‘Usuwenze okungalunganga?’
Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 Khumbula ukukhulisa umsebenzi wakhe, abantu abawudumisileyo ngengoma.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
25 Bonke abantu jikelele bakubonile lokhu; abantu bakukhangela bemi khatshana.
All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
26 Ubukhulu bukaNkulunkulu bungaphezulu kokuzwisisa kwethu! Iminyaka yakhe ingezake yaziwe.
Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 Uyawadonsa amathonsi amanzi, aqulungane abe lizulu elingena ezifuleni;
For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
28 amayezi athulula amanzi awo kune izulu elikhulu ebantwini.
Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.
29 Ngubani ongakuzwisisa ukuthi uwendlala njani amayezi na, ukuthi ukhwaza njani esesiqongweni sakhe na?
But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
30 Ake libone ukuthi uwuhlakaza njani umbane wakhe azizingelezele ngawo, abhukutshe ezinzikini zolwandle.
Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 Yiyo indlela abusa ngayo izizwe aziphe ukudla okunengi.
For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
32 Ugcwalisa izandla zakhe ngombane awukhombise lapho omele utshaye khona.
[His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
33 Ukuduma kwakhe kubika isiphepho esizayo; lenkomo ziyatshengisa ukuza kwaso.”
His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
