UJobe 22
1 Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20 Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
