UJobe 22
1 Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
3 Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?
4 Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?
5 Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
6 Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9 Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles you;
11 kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
12 UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
15 Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
17 Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
18 Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
20 Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
21 Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto you.
22 Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
Receive, I pray you, the law 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 shall be built up, you shall put away iniquity far from your tabernacles.
24 Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
Yea, the Almighty shall be your defence, and you shall have plenty of silver.
26 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face unto God.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
You shall make your prayer unto him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
28 Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you: and the light shall shine upon your ways.
29 Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
