< UJobe 15 >

1 Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 Ohlakaniphileyo angaphendula yini ulwazi olungumoya, agcwalise isisu sakhe ngomoya wempumalanga?
Should a wise man answer with arguments of wind, Or fill his bosom with the east wind?
3 Aphikise ngamazwi angasizi lutho, langenkulumo ezingelanzuzo yini?
Should he argue with speech that helpeth him not, And with words which do not profit him?
4 Yebo, wena uyachitha ukwesaba, uvimbela umkhuleko phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
Behold, thou makest the fear of God a vain thing, And discouragest prayer before him.
5 Ngoba umlomo wakho ufundisa ububi bakho, ukhethe ulimi lwamaqili.
Yea, thy own mouth proclaimeth thy iniquity, Though thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6 Umlomo wakho uyakulahla, kayisimi; yebo, indebe zakho ziyafakaza ngawe.
Thy own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Thy own lips testify against thee.
7 Ungumuntu wokuqala owazalwayo yini? Kumbe wazalwa mandulo kwamaqaqa yini?
Art thou the first man that was born? Wast thou formed before the hills?
8 Uzwile yini icebo langasese likaNkulunkulu? Kumbe uzigodlele inhlakanipho yini?
Hast thou listened in the council of God, And drawn all wisdom to thyself?
9 Kuyini okwaziyo esingakwaziyo? Kuyini okuqedisisayo okungekho kithi?
What dost thou know, that we know not also? What dost thou understand, that is a secret to us?
10 Kukhona phakathi kwethu lempunga lekhehla, omdala ngensuku kuloyihlo.
With us are the aged and hoary-headed; Much older than thy father.
11 Zincinyane yini kuwe induduzo zikaNkulunkulu, lelizwi elikhulunywa kuhle lawe?
Dost thou despise the consolations of God, And words so full of kindness to thee?
12 Kungani inhliziyo yakho ikumukisa? Njalo kungani amehlo akho ephayiza,
Why hath thy passion taken possession of thee? And why this winking of thine eyes?
13 ukuthi uphendule umoya wakho umelane loNkulunkulu, ukhuphe amazwi anje emlonyeni wakho?
For against God hast thou turned thy spirit, And uttered such words from thy mouth.
14 Umuntu uyini ukuthi abe ngohlambulukileyo, lozelwe ngowesifazana ukuthi abe ngolungileyo?
What is man, that he should be pure, And he that is born of woman, that he should be innocent?
15 Khangela, kathembeli kwabangcwele bakhe, lamazulu kawahlambulukanga emehlweni akhe.
Behold, He putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And the heavens are not pure in his sight;
16 Kukangakanani umuntu onengekayo lowonakeleyo, onatha ububi njengamanzi!
Much less, abominable and polluted man, Who drinketh iniquity as water.
17 Ngizakutshengisa, ungilalele, lengikubonileyo ngizakulandisa,
Hear me, and I will show thee, And that which I have seen will I declare;
18 lokho izihlakaniphi ezikukhulumileyo kusukela kuboyise, njalo kazikufihlanga,
Which the wise men have told, And not kept concealed, as received from their fathers;
19 okwanikwa kuzo zodwa ilizwe, lokungadlulanga izihambi phakathi kwazo.
To whom alone the land was given, And among whom not a stranger wandered.
20 Insuku zonke zokhohlakeleyo uzizwisa ubuhlungu, lenani leminyaka ebekelelwe umcindezeli.
“All his days the wicked man is in pain; Yea, all the years, that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 Umsindo wezethuso usendlebeni zakhe; empumelelweni umchithi uzamfikela.
A fearful sound is in his ears; In peace the destroyer cometh upon him.
22 Kakholwa ukuthi uzaphenduka emnyameni, kodwa ukuthi ulindelwe yinkemba.
He hath no hope that he shall escape from darkness; He is set apart for the sword.
23 Uzulela ukudla. Kungaphi? Uyazi ukuthi usuku lobumnyama lulungisiwe esandleni sakhe.
He wandereth about, seeking bread; He knoweth that a day of darkness is at hand.
24 Uhlupho losizi kuyamethusa, kumehlule njengenkosi elungele impi.
Distress and anguish fill him with dread; They prevail against him like a king ready for the battle.
25 Ngoba welule isandla sakhe emelene loNkulunkulu, wenza ngamandla ukumelana loSomandla.
Because he stretched forth his hand against God, And bade defiance to the Almighty,
26 Wagijima emelene laye ngentamo, ngohlonzi lwamaqhubu ezihlangu zakhe.
And ran against him with outstretched neck, With the thick bosses of his bucklers;
27 Ngoba wambomboza ubuso bakhe ngamafutha akhe, wenza ukhalo lwakhukhumala ngamafutha.
Because he covered his face with fatness, And gathered fat upon his loins,
28 Uhlala emizini echithekileyo, izindlu abangahlali kuzo, ezilungele ukuba zinqumbi.
And dwelt in desolated cities, In houses which no man inhabiteth, That are ready to become heaps.
29 Kayikunotha, lenotho yakhe kayiyikuma, lenzuzo yakhe kayiyikusabalala emhlabeni.
He shall not be rich; his substance shall not endure, And his possessions shall not be extended upon the earth.
30 Kayikusuka emnyameni; ilangabi lizakomisa ihlumela lakhe, njalo uzasuka ngokuphefumula komoya wakhe.
He shall not escape from darkness, And the flame shall dry up his branches; Yea, by the breath of His mouth shall he be taken away.
31 Oduhisiweyo kangathembeli ezenini, ngoba ize lizakuba ngumvuzo wakhe.
“Let not man trust in vanity! he will be deceived; For vanity shall be his recompense.
32 Kuzafezwa kungakabi lusuku lwakhe, logatsha lwakhe aluyikuba luhlaza.
He shall come to his end before his time, And his branch shall not be green.
33 Uzawohloza izithelo zakhe ezingavuthwanga njengevini, athintithe impoko zakhe njengesihlahla somhlwathi.
He shall shake off his unripe fruit like the vine, And shed his blossoms like the olive-tree.
34 Ngoba inhlangano yabazenzisi izakuba ngengelazithelo, lomlilo uzaqothula amathente ezivalamlomo.
The house of the unrighteous shall be famished, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
35 Bamitha uhlupho, bazale isono, lesizalo sabo silungisa inkohliso.
They conceive mischief, and bring forth misery, And their breast deviseth deceit.”

< UJobe 15 >