UJobe 5
1 “Memeza nxa uthanda, kodwa ngubani ozakuphendula na? Uzaphendukela kuwuphi wabangcwele na?
“Job, [it is okay that you] continue to cry out for someone to help you, but [I am certain that] [RHQ] no angel will come to help you!
2 Ukucaphuka kuyasibulala isiwula lomhawu uyamqeda oyisithutha.
Foolish people die because of being (resentful/very angry at someone); people who are easily deceived are destroyed by their being jealous [of others].
3 Mina ngokwami sengasibona isiwula siphumelela, kodwa masinyane nje indlu yaso yayisiqalekisiwe.
I have seen foolish people who seemed to be successful/prosperous, but suddenly [they experienced disaster/trouble because] someone cursed their home.
4 Abantwabaso kabavikelekanga lakancinyane, baphoselwa entolongweni bengelamvikeli.
Their sons are never safe; they (lose their case/are condemned) when someone (takes them to court/sues them), because there is no one to defend them.
5 Abalambileyo bayazidlela isivuno sakhe, besithatha kanye lasemeveni, labomileyo bahahabela inotho yakhe.
Hungry people [steal] the crops that foolish people harvest, [and] eat [those crops]; they even steal the crops that grow among thorns, and greedy people take away the wealth of foolish people.
6 Ngoba ubunzima kabugobhozi emhlabathini, loba uhlupho luhlume phansi.
But evil circumstances/sufferings are not produced by the soil; troubles do not grow up from the ground.
7 Kodwa umuntu uzalelwa ukuhlupheka njengoba ngeqiniso inhlansi zomlilo ziqhatshela phezulu.
People have troubles from the time that they are born just as surely as sparks shoot up [from a fire].
8 Kodwa aluba ubuyimi, bengizamncenga uNkulunkulu; bengizakwethula udubo lwami kuye.
[“If I were suffering like you are, ] I would ask God [for help] and tell him (what I am complaining about/about my suffering).
9 Uyazenza izimanga ezingelakulinganiswa, imimangaliso engelakubalwa.
He does great things, things that we cannot understand; we cannot even count the marvelous things that he does.
10 Uyanisa izulu emhlabeni; uthumela amanzi elizweni.
He sends rain on the ground; he sends water on our fields.
11 Abaphansi uyabakhweza phezulu, lalabo abakhalayo ubaphakamisela ekuphepheni.
He exalts those who are humble, and causes those who mourn to be joyful (OR, safe, prosperous).
12 Uyawafubisa amacebo amaqili, ukuze izandla zawo zingaphumeleli.
He causes crafty/cunning people to not be able to do what they plan to do, with the result that they achieve nothing.
13 Uyababamba abahlakaniphileyo ebuqilini babo, kuthi amaqhinga eziphoxo achitheke.
He causes people who [think that they] [IRO] are wise to be trapped by the cunning things they try to do, with the result that they do not succeed.
14 Ubumnyama buyabehlela emini; phakathi kwemini bayaphumputha kungathi kusebusuku.
[It is as though] even in the daytime they are covered by darkness, and grope around [trying to find the road] at noontime like people do at night.
15 Uyabasindisa abaswelayo baphephe inkemba emlonyeni wabo; uyabasindisa ekubanjweni ngabalamandla.
But God saves helpless people from being harmed by what [wicked people] say [MTY], he saves needy people from being injured by [MTY] powerful people.
16 Ngakho abayanga balalo ithemba, ukwahlulela kubi kuvala owakho umlomo.
So, poor people confidently expect [that good things will happen to them] but God causes wicked [people] to stop talking.
17 Ubusisiwe umuntu oqondiswa nguNkulunkulu; ngakho ungaseyisi isijeziso sikaSomandla.
“But those whom God corrects/rebukes are happy; so do not despise/dislike it when [God] who is all-powerful disciplines you.
18 Ngoba uyagwaza, kodwa aphinde abophe amanxeba; uyalimaza kodwa izandla zakhe njalo ziyapholisa.
He wounds people, but then he puts bandages on those wounds; he hurts people, but he [SYN] also heals them.
19 Uzakuhlenga ezinhluphekweni eziyisithupha; kweziyisikhombisa kawuyikuwelwa yingozi.
He will rescue you many times from your troubles, with the result that nothing evil will happen to you.
20 Ngesikhathi sendlala uzakuhlenga ekufeni, lasempini akuhlenge ekugaleleni kwenkemba.
When there is a famine, he will not allow you to die, and when there is a war, you will not be killed [MTY].
21 Uzavikelwa ekuhletshweni, ungaze wesaba nxa kufika incithakalo.
God will protect you when people slander [MTY] you; you will not be afraid when many things [around you] are destroyed.
22 Uzakuhleka ukuchithakala kanye lendlala, njalo ungaze wazesaba izilo zomhlaba.
You will [be able to] laugh/scoff when things are destroyed and when there is famine, and you will not be afraid of wild animals.
23 Ngoba uzakuba lesivumelwano lamatshe eganga, lezinyamazana zeganga zizahlalisana kuhle lawe.
You will not worry about [having big] rocks in your fields [that will make plowing difficult], and you will not worry about [being attacked by] wild animals there.
24 Uzakwazi ukuthi ithente lakho livikelekile; uzahlolisisa impahla yakho uthole kungelalutho olungekho.
In your tent, you will know that things will go well for you, and when you look at your livestock, you will see that (they are all there/none of them is missing).
25 Uzakwazi ukuthi abantwabakho bazakuba banengi, lesizukulwane sakho sibe ngangotshani bomhlaba.
You will be sure that you will have many descendants, who will be as numerous as blades of grass.
26 Uzakuza engcwabeni usukhulile okugcweleyo njengezikhwebu zamabele eziqoqwa seziphelele.
You will become very old before you die, like sheaves of grain continue to grow until it is time to harvest them.
27 Sesikuhlolile lokhu, kuliqiniso. Ngakho kuzwisise, ukulandele wena ngokwakho.”
[“My friends and I] have thought carefully about these things, and [we know that] they are true, so pay attention to what I have said!”
