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 to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to 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 gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Uzakusola yini ngenxa yokwesaba kwakho? Uzangena lawe kusahlulelo.
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Ububi bakho kabubukhulu yini, lezono zakho kazilakuphela?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities without end?
6 Ngoba uthethe isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho, wahlubula abanqunu izigqoko.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother without cause, 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 thou hast 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.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Ngakho-ke imijibila ikuhanqile, lovalo luhle lwakwesabisa,
Therefore snares are around thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 kumbe ubumnyama ukuze ungaboni, lesikhukhula samanzi sikusibekele.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
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 thou sayest, How doth 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 seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 Usunanzelele indlela endala yini abantu ababi abanyathela kuyo?
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Abahluthunwa kungakabi yisikhathi; uzamcolo wathululwa phezu kwesisekelo sabo.
Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
17 Abathi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi. LoSomandla wayenzeni kubo?
Who said to 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 mock them.
20 Isibili isitha sethu sichithiwe, lomlilo uqede insali yabo.
Though our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 Ake wejwayelane laye, ube lokuthula, ngalokho okuhle kuzakuza kuwe.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee.
22 Ake wemukele umlayo ovela emlonyeni wakhe, ubeke amazwi akhe enhliziyweni yakho.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Uba ubuyela kuSomandla, uzakwakhiwa, ususe okubi khatshana lamathente akho.
If thou shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tents.
24 Ubusubeka igolide lakho othulini, legolide leOfiri elitsheni lezifula.
Then shalt thou 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 thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi uzazithokozisa ngoSomandla, uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, akuzwe, ukhokhe izifungo zakho.
Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Uzaquma-ke udaba, luqiniseke kuwe, lokukhanya kukhanye endleleni zakho.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Nxa behliselwe phansi, ubususithi: Phezulu! Abesesindisa othobekileyo ngamehlo.
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, Lift them up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 Uzamkhulula ongemsulwa; njalo ukhululwa ngokuhlanzeka kwezandla zakho.
He shall deliver the isle of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
