UJobe 22
1 Wasephendula uElifazi umThemani wathi:
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 Umuntu angaba losizo kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba ohlakaniphileyo elusizo kuye ngokwakhe?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
3 Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
6 Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
12 UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.
Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
14 Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.
Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17 Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
23 Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
