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 useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?

3 Kuyintokozo yini kuSomandla ukuthi ulungile? Kumbe inzuzo kuye ukuthi uphelelise indlela zakho?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4 Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.

Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?

5 Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?

Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?

6 Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.

For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.

7 Kawumnathisanga amanzi odiniweyo, lolambileyo umgodlele ukudla.

You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people

8 Kodwa umuntu olengalo, umhlaba ungowakhe, lowemukeleka ebusweni wahlala kuwo.

although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.

9 Uxotshile abafelokazi bengelalutho, lengalo zezintandane zichotshoziwe.

You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,

Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.

11 kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.

There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.

12 UNkulunkulu kakho yini engqongeni yamazulu? Bona-ke ingqonga yezinkanyezi, ukuthi ziphakeme kangakanani.

Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 Kanti uthi: UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela yini engemuva komnyama onzima?

You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

14 Amayezi amnyama ayisisibekelo sakhe ukuze angaboni, uhamba esigombolozini samazulu.

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'

15 Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?

Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—

16 Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.

those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,

17 Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?

those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

18 Kanti yena wayegcwalise izindlu zabo ngokuhle; kodwa icebo labakhohlakeleyo likhatshana lami.

Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.

19 Abalungileyo bayakubona bathokoze, lomsulwa ubahleka usulu.

Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.

20 Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.

They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'

21 Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.

Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.

22 Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.

Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store 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 built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.

24 Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.

Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

25 Ngakho uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva sakho esinengi.

and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.

26 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.

For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.

27 Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.

28 Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.

You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.

29 Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.

God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.

30 Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.

He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”