UJobe 4
1 Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
2 “Nxa umuntu angaphosa ilizwi nje kuwe uzacunuka na? Kodwa ngubani ongathula angakhulumi na?
Hast you been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of your words?
3 Khumbula ukuthi sewabafundisa njani abanengi, ukuthi ubaqinise njani abalezandla ezibuthakathaka.
For whereas you have instructed many, and have strengthened the hands of the weak one,
4 Amazwi akho abasekele labo abakhubekayo; uwaqinisile amadolo axegayo.
and have supported the failing with words, and have imparted courage to feeble knees.
5 Kodwa manje uhlupho luze kuwe, usuphela amandla; lukutshaya ubusudela ithemba.
Yet now [that] pain has come upon you, and touched you, you are troubled.
6 Kungani ukukholwa kwakho kungabi yiso isibindi sakho na lezindlela zakho ezimsulwa zibe lithemba lakho na?
Is not your fear [founded] in folly, your hope also, and the mischief of your way?
7 Khumbula manje: Ngubani owathi engelacala wabhubha na? Kungaphi lapho abaqotho abake babhujiswa khona na?
Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed?
8 Ngokubona kwami labo abalima okubi lalabo abahlanyela ububi bavuna bona.
Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
9 Ngokuphefumula kukaNkulunkulu bayabhubha; ngokukhwaza kolaka lwakhe bayafa.
They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath.
10 Izilwane zingabhonga zihwabhe, kodwa amazinyo ezilwane ezinkulu ayephuka.
The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched.
11 Isilwane siyafa ngokuswela ukudla besekuthi imidlwane yesilwanekazi ihlakazeke.
The old lion has perished for lack of food, and the lions' whelps have forsaken one another.
12 Kulethwe ilizwi kimi ngasese, indlebe zami zilizwile linyenyezwa.
But if there had been any truth in your words, none of these evils would have befallen you. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from him?
13 Phakathi kwamaphupho adungayo ebusuku, lapho abantu belele obukabhuka,
But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night,
14 ukwesaba lokuthuthumela kwangifikela kwenza wonke amathambo ami aqhaqhazela.
horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake.
15 Kwathi tshazi umoya emehlweni ami, wahlasimula umzimba wami lenwele zami zema.
And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
16 Umoya lowo wema, kodwa kangikwazanga ukuthi kuyini. Kwakumi into phambi kwamehlo ami, ngasengisizwa ilizwi elihelezayo:
I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
17 ‘Kambe umuntu angalunga ukwedlula uNkulunkulu na? Umuntu angahlanzeka kuloMenzi wakhe na?
What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?
18 Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izinceku zakhe, nxa ebeka izingilosi zakhe umlandu ngokona,
Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his angels.
19 pho-ke kuzakuba njani kulabo abahlala ezindlini zodaka, ozisekelo zazo zisothulini, abahlifizeka lula njengenondo!
But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
20 Phakathi kokusa lokuhlwa bayabhidlizwa babe yizicucu; bengananzwa langubani, bayabhubha kokuphela.
And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they can’t help themselves.
21 Izintambo zamatende abo kazidonswa na, bafe bengelalwazi?’”
For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
