UJobe 34
1 Wasephendula uElihu wathi:
After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say:
2 Zwanini amazwi ami, zihlakaniphi, lani zazi, libeke indlebe kimi.
May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me.
3 Ngoba indlebe ihlola amazwi, njengolwanga lunambitha ukudla.
For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste.
4 Asizikhetheleni isahlulelo; sazi phakathi kwethu okuhle.
Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best.
5 Ngoba uJobe uthe: Ngilungile, kodwa uNkulunkulu ususe isahlulelo sami;
For Job has said: “I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment.
6 ngiqamba amanga ngimelene lelungelo lami; umtshoko wami kawelapheki, ngaphandle kwesiphambeko.
For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.”
7 Nguwuphi umuntu onjengoJobe? Unatha ukuklolodelwa njengamanzi,
What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water,
8 ahambahambe exukwini labenzi bobubi, ahambe labantu benkohlakalo.
who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men?
9 Ngoba uthe: Kakumsizi umuntu nxa ethokoza ngoNkulunkulu.
For he has said, “Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.”
10 Ngakho, bantu bengqondo, ngilalelani: Kakube khatshana loNkulunkulu ukwenza inkohlakalo, loSomandla ukwenza isiphambeko.
Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty.
11 Ngoba umsebenzi womuntu uzawubuyisela kuye, amenze athole njengendlela yalowo lalowo.
For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them.
12 Yebo, isibili uNkulunkulu kenzi okubi, njalo uSomandla kagobisi isehlulelo.
For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment.
13 Ngubani owambeka phezu komhlaba? Kumbe ngubani owamisa umhlaba wonke?
What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made?
14 Uba ebeka inhliziyo yakhe phezu kwakhe, uzabuthela umoya wakhe lomphefumulo wakhe kuye.
But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself.
15 Inyama yonke ibizaphela kanyekanye, lomuntu abuyele ethulini.
All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes.
16 Uba kulokuqedisisa-ke, zwana lokhu, ubeke indlebe elizwini lamazwi ami.
Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence.
17 Kambe, ozonda isehlulelo ubengabusa yini? Kambe uzamlahla yini olungileyo kakhulu?
Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just?
18 Angatsho yini enkosini: Mkhohlisi; kuziphathamandla: Lina abangelaNkulunkulu?
He says to the king, “You are an apostate.” He calls commanders impious.
19 Kuye ongemukeli ubuso beziphathamandla, engananzi isinothi phambi komyanga? Ngoba bonke bangumsebenzi wezandla zakhe.
He does not accept the reputation of leaders; nor does he recognize the tyrant as he contends against the poor. For all are the work of his hands.
20 Bayafa ngesikhatshana; laphakathi kobusuku abantu bayaqhuqhiswa, bedlule; kuzasuswa olamandla kungelasandla.
They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand.
21 Ngoba amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zomuntu, uyabona zonke izinyathelo zakhe.
For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps.
22 Kakulamnyama njalo kakulathunzi lokufa lapho abenzi bobubi abangacatsha khona.
There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden.
23 Ngoba kabi lokhu enaka umuntu, ukuthi aye kuNkulunkulu esahlulelweni.
For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God.
24 Uyaphahlaza abalamandla kungahlolwanga, amise abanye endaweni zabo.
He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place.
25 Ngakho uyayazi imisebenzi yabo, uyabagenqula ebusuku, bachotshozwe.
For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed.
26 Uyabatshaya njengababi endaweni yababukelayo.
Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen.
27 Ngenxa yokuthi bephambukile ekumlandeleni, bengananzanga leyodwa yezindlela zakhe,
They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways,
28 baze benza ukukhala komyanga kufike kuye, njalo wakuzwa ukukhala kwabahluphekayo.
so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor.
29 Lapho yena ethulisa, ngubani-ke ongaziphatha ngenkohliso? Lapho efihla ubuso, ngubani-ke ongambona? Loba esizweni loba emuntwini eyedwa.
For, when he grants peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hides his face, who is there that can contemplate him, either among the nations, or among all men?
30 Ukuze abantu abangabazenzisi bangabusi, ukuze bangabi yimijibila ebantwini.
He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people.
31 Isibili uthe kuNkulunkulu: Ngithwele isijeziso, kangiyikona.
Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same.
32 Lokhu engingakuboniyo ngifundise wena; uba ngenze okubi kangisayikukwenza futhi.
If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more.
33 Uzaphindisela yini njengokuthanda kwakho, loba uyala, loba wena ukhetha, njalo kungesimi? Wazini-ke? Khuluma.
Does God require this of you because it is displeasing to you? For you were the first to speak, and not I. But if you know something better, speak.
34 Abantu abalokuqedisisa bazakhuluma kimi, lomuntu ohlakaniphileyo uzangizwa.
Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me.
35 UJobe ukhulume engelalwazi, lamazwi akhe kawalanhlakanipho.
But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching.
36 Kungathi ngabe uJobe uyahlolwa kuze kube sekupheleni, ngenxa yempendulo zakhe njengabantu ababi.
My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity.
37 Ngoba esonweni sakhe wengezelela ububi, etshaya izandla phakathi kwethu, esandisa amazwi akhe emelene loNkulunkulu.
For he adds blasphemy on top of his sins; nevertheless, let him be constrained to be among us, and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches.
