UJobe 34
1 Wasephendula uElihu wathi:
And Elihu proceeded, and said:
2 Zwanini amazwi ami, zihlakaniphi, lani zazi, libeke indlebe kimi.
Hear my words, ye wise men! Give ear to me, ye that have knowledge!
3 Ngoba indlebe ihlola amazwi, njengolwanga lunambitha ukudla.
For the ear trieth words, As the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Asizikhetheleni isahlulelo; sazi phakathi kwethu okuhle.
Let us examine for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is true.
5 Ngoba uJobe uthe: Ngilungile, kodwa uNkulunkulu ususe isahlulelo sami;
Job hath said, “I am righteous, And God refuseth me justice.
6 ngiqamba amanga ngimelene lelungelo lami; umtshoko wami kawelapheki, ngaphandle kwesiphambeko.
Though I am innocent, I am made a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am free from transgression.”
7 Nguwuphi umuntu onjengoJobe? Unatha ukuklolodelwa njengamanzi,
Where is the man like Job, Who drinketh impiety like water;
8 ahambahambe exukwini labenzi bobubi, ahambe labantu benkohlakalo.
Who goeth in company with evil-doers, And walketh with wicked men?
9 Ngoba uthe: Kakumsizi umuntu nxa ethokoza ngoNkulunkulu.
For he hath said, “A man hath no advantage, When he delighteth himself in God.”
10 Ngakho, bantu bengqondo, ngilalelani: Kakube khatshana loNkulunkulu ukwenza inkohlakalo, loSomandla ukwenza isiphambeko.
Wherefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding! Far be iniquity from God; Yea, far be injustice from the Almighty!
11 Ngoba umsebenzi womuntu uzawubuyisela kuye, amenze athole njengendlela yalowo lalowo.
For what a man hath done he will requite him, And render to every one according to his deeds.
12 Yebo, isibili uNkulunkulu kenzi okubi, njalo uSomandla kagobisi isehlulelo.
Surely God will not do iniquity, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Ngubani owambeka phezu komhlaba? Kumbe ngubani owamisa umhlaba wonke?
Who hath given him the charge of the earth? Or who hath created the whole world?
14 Uba ebeka inhliziyo yakhe phezu kwakhe, uzabuthela umoya wakhe lomphefumulo wakhe kuye.
Should he set his heart against man, Should he take back his spirit and his breath,
15 Inyama yonke ibizaphela kanyekanye, lomuntu abuyele ethulini.
Then would all flesh expire together; Yea, man would return to the dust.
16 Uba kulokuqedisisa-ke, zwana lokhu, ubeke indlebe elizwini lamazwi ami.
If thou hast understanding, hear this! Give ear to the voice of my words!
17 Kambe, ozonda isehlulelo ubengabusa yini? Kambe uzamlahla yini olungileyo kakhulu?
Shall he, that hateth justice, govern? Wilt thou then condemn the just and mighty One?
18 Angatsho yini enkosini: Mkhohlisi; kuziphathamandla: Lina abangelaNkulunkulu?
Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked; Or to princes, Ye are unrighteous?
19 Kuye ongemukeli ubuso beziphathamandla, engananzi isinothi phambi komyanga? Ngoba bonke bangumsebenzi wezandla zakhe.
How much less to him that is not partial to princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they are all the work of his hands.
20 Bayafa ngesikhatshana; laphakathi kobusuku abantu bayaqhuqhiswa, bedlule; kuzasuswa olamandla kungelasandla.
In a moment they die; yea, at midnight Do the people stagger and pass away, And the mighty are destroyed without hand.
21 Ngoba amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zomuntu, uyabona zonke izinyathelo zakhe.
For his eyes are upon the ways of man; He seeth all his steps.
22 Kakulamnyama njalo kakulathunzi lokufa lapho abenzi bobubi abangacatsha khona.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, Where evil-doers may hide themselves.
23 Ngoba kabi lokhu enaka umuntu, ukuthi aye kuNkulunkulu esahlulelweni.
He needeth not attend long to a man, That he may go into judgment before God;
24 Uyaphahlaza abalamandla kungahlolwanga, amise abanye endaweni zabo.
He dasheth in pieces the mighty without inquiry, And setteth up others in their stead.
25 Ngakho uyayazi imisebenzi yabo, uyabagenqula ebusuku, bachotshozwe.
Therefore he knoweth their works, And in a night he overthroweth them, so that they are destroyed.
26 Uyabatshaya njengababi endaweni yababukelayo.
On account of their wickedness he smiteth them, In the presence of many beholders;
27 Ngenxa yokuthi bephambukile ekumlandeleni, bengananzanga leyodwa yezindlela zakhe,
Because they turned away from him, And had no regard to his ways,
28 baze benza ukukhala komyanga kufike kuye, njalo wakuzwa ukukhala kwabahluphekayo.
And caused the cry of the poor to come before him; For he heareth the cry of the oppressed.
29 Lapho yena ethulisa, ngubani-ke ongaziphatha ngenkohliso? Lapho efihla ubuso, ngubani-ke ongambona? Loba esizweni loba emuntwini eyedwa.
When he giveth rest, who can cause trouble? And when he hideth his face, Who can behold him?
30 Ukuze abantu abangabazenzisi bangabusi, ukuze bangabi yimijibila ebantwini.
So is it with nations and individuals alike! That the wicked may no more rule, And may not be snares to the people.
31 Isibili uthe kuNkulunkulu: Ngithwele isijeziso, kangiyikona.
Surely thou shouldst say unto God, “I have received chastisement; I will no more offend;
32 Lokhu engingakuboniyo ngifundise wena; uba ngenze okubi kangisayikukwenza futhi.
What 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 he recompense according to thy mind, Because thou refusest, or because thou choosest, and not he? Speak, if thou hast knowledge!
34 Abantu abalokuqedisisa bazakhuluma kimi, lomuntu ohlakaniphileyo uzangizwa.
Men of understanding, Wise men, who hear me, will say,
35 UJobe ukhulume engelalwazi, lamazwi akhe kawalanhlakanipho.
“Job hath spoken without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.”
36 Kungathi ngabe uJobe uyahlolwa kuze kube sekupheleni, ngenxa yempendulo zakhe njengabantu ababi.
I desire that Job may be tried to the last, For answering like wicked men.
37 Ngoba esonweni sakhe wengezelela ububi, etshaya izandla phakathi kwethu, esandisa amazwi akhe emelene loNkulunkulu.
For he addeth impiety to his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth words against God.
