UJobe 34
1 Wasephendula uElihu wathi:
Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2 Zwanini amazwi ami, zihlakaniphi, lani zazi, libeke indlebe kimi.
Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 Ngoba indlebe ihlola amazwi, njengolwanga lunambitha ukudla.
For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth food.
4 Asizikhetheleni isahlulelo; sazi phakathi kwethu okuhle.
Let us choose for us that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 Ngoba uJobe uthe: Ngilungile, kodwa uNkulunkulu ususe isahlulelo sami;
For Job hath said: 'I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right;
6 ngiqamba amanga ngimelene lelungelo lami; umtshoko wami kawelapheki, ngaphandle kwesiphambeko.
Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 Nguwuphi umuntu onjengoJobe? Unatha ukuklolodelwa njengamanzi,
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 ahambahambe exukwini labenzi bobubi, ahambe labantu benkohlakalo.
Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 Ngoba uthe: Kakumsizi umuntu nxa ethokoza ngoNkulunkulu.
For he hath said: 'It profiteth a man nothing that he should be in accord with God.'
10 Ngakho, bantu bengqondo, ngilalelani: Kakube khatshana loNkulunkulu ukwenza inkohlakalo, loSomandla ukwenza isiphambeko.
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that He should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that He should commit iniquity.
11 Ngoba umsebenzi womuntu uzawubuyisela kuye, amenze athole njengendlela yalowo lalowo.
For the work of a man will He requite unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yebo, isibili uNkulunkulu kenzi okubi, njalo uSomandla kagobisi isehlulelo.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Ngubani owambeka phezu komhlaba? Kumbe ngubani owamisa umhlaba wonke?
Who gave Him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 Uba ebeka inhliziyo yakhe phezu kwakhe, uzabuthela umoya wakhe lomphefumulo wakhe kuye.
If He set His heart upon man, if He gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath;
15 Inyama yonke ibizaphela kanyekanye, lomuntu abuyele ethulini.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return unto dust.
16 Uba kulokuqedisisa-ke, zwana lokhu, ubeke indlebe elizwini lamazwi ami.
If now thou hast understanding, hear this; hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Kambe, ozonda isehlulelo ubengabusa yini? Kambe uzamlahla yini olungileyo kakhulu?
Shall even one that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn Him that is just and mighty —
18 Angatsho yini enkosini: Mkhohlisi; kuziphathamandla: Lina abangelaNkulunkulu?
Is it fit to say to a king: 'Thou art base'? Or to nobles: 'Ye are wicked'? —
19 Kuye ongemukeli ubuso beziphathamandla, engananzi isinothi phambi komyanga? Ngoba bonke bangumsebenzi wezandla zakhe.
That respecteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they all are the work of His hands.
20 Bayafa ngesikhatshana; laphakathi kobusuku abantu bayaqhuqhiswa, bedlule; kuzasuswa olamandla kungelasandla.
In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.
21 Ngoba amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zomuntu, uyabona zonke izinyathelo zakhe.
For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He seeth all his goings.
22 Kakulamnyama njalo kakulathunzi lokufa lapho abenzi bobubi abangacatsha khona.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 Ngoba kabi lokhu enaka umuntu, ukuthi aye kuNkulunkulu esahlulelweni.
For He doth not appoint a time unto any man, when he should go before God in judgment.
24 Uyaphahlaza abalamandla kungahlolwanga, amise abanye endaweni zabo.
He breaketh in pieces mighty men without inquisition, and setteth others in their stead.
25 Ngakho uyayazi imisebenzi yabo, uyabagenqula ebusuku, bachotshozwe.
Therefore He taketh knowledge of their works; and He overturneth them in the night, so that they are crushed.
26 Uyabatshaya njengababi endaweni yababukelayo.
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Ngenxa yokuthi bephambukile ekumlandeleni, bengananzanga leyodwa yezindlela zakhe,
Because they turned aside from following Him, and would not have regard to any of His ways;
28 baze benza ukukhala komyanga kufike kuye, njalo wakuzwa ukukhala kwabahluphekayo.
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto Him, and He heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 Lapho yena ethulisa, ngubani-ke ongaziphatha ngenkohliso? Lapho efihla ubuso, ngubani-ke ongambona? Loba esizweni loba emuntwini eyedwa.
When He giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when He hideth His face, who then can behold Him? whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man, alike;
30 Ukuze abantu abangabazenzisi bangabusi, ukuze bangabi yimijibila ebantwini.
That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.
31 Isibili uthe kuNkulunkulu: Ngithwele isijeziso, kangiyikona.
For hath any said unto God: 'I have borne chastisement, though I offend not;
32 Lokhu engingakuboniyo ngifundise wena; uba ngenze okubi kangisayikukwenza futhi.
That which I see not teach Thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 Uzaphindisela yini njengokuthanda kwakho, loba uyala, loba wena ukhetha, njalo kungesimi? Wazini-ke? Khuluma.
Shall His recompense be as thou wilt? For thou loathest it, so that thou must choose, and not I; therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Abantu abalokuqedisisa bazakhuluma kimi, lomuntu ohlakaniphileyo uzangizwa.
Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:
35 UJobe ukhulume engelalwazi, lamazwi akhe kawalanhlakanipho.
'Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without discernment.'
36 Kungathi ngabe uJobe uyahlolwa kuze kube sekupheleni, ngenxa yempendulo zakhe njengabantu ababi.
Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
37 Ngoba esonweni sakhe wengezelela ububi, etshaya izandla phakathi kwethu, esandisa amazwi akhe emelene loNkulunkulu.
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
