UJobe 34
1 Wasephendula uElihu wathi:
Moreover Elihu answered,
2 Zwanini amazwi ami, zihlakaniphi, lani zazi, libeke indlebe kimi.
“Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 Ngoba indlebe ihlola amazwi, njengolwanga lunambitha ukudla.
For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes 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 has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right.
6 ngiqamba amanga ngimelene lelungelo lami; umtshoko wami kawelapheki, ngaphandle kwesiphambeko.
Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
7 Nguwuphi umuntu onjengoJobe? Unatha ukuklolodelwa njengamanzi,
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
8 ahambahambe exukwini labenzi bobubi, ahambe labantu benkohlakalo.
who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?
9 Ngoba uthe: Kakumsizi umuntu nxa ethokoza ngoNkulunkulu.
For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’
10 Ngakho, bantu bengqondo, ngilalelani: Kakube khatshana loNkulunkulu ukwenza inkohlakalo, loSomandla ukwenza isiphambeko.
“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, 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 he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yebo, isibili uNkulunkulu kenzi okubi, njalo uSomandla kagobisi isehlulelo.
Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Ngubani owambeka phezu komhlaba? Kumbe ngubani owamisa umhlaba wonke?
Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?
14 Uba ebeka inhliziyo yakhe phezu kwakhe, uzabuthela umoya wakhe lomphefumulo wakhe kuye.
If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 Inyama yonke ibizaphela kanyekanye, lomuntu abuyele ethulini.
all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
16 Uba kulokuqedisisa-ke, zwana lokhu, ubeke indlebe elizwini lamazwi ami.
“If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
17 Kambe, ozonda isehlulelo ubengabusa yini? Kambe uzamlahla yini olungileyo kakhulu?
Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 Angatsho yini enkosini: Mkhohlisi; kuziphathamandla: Lina abangelaNkulunkulu?
who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
19 Kuye ongemukeli ubuso beziphathamandla, engananzi isinothi phambi komyanga? Ngoba bonke bangumsebenzi wezandla zakhe.
He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect 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. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 Ngoba amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zomuntu, uyabona zonke izinyathelo zakhe.
“For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
22 Kakulamnyama njalo kakulathunzi lokufa lapho abenzi bobubi abangacatsha khona.
There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 Ngoba kabi lokhu enaka umuntu, ukuthi aye kuNkulunkulu esahlulelweni.
For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
24 Uyaphahlaza abalamandla kungahlolwanga, amise abanye endaweni zabo.
He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
25 Ngakho uyayazi imisebenzi yabo, uyabagenqula ebusuku, bachotshozwe.
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 Uyabatshaya njengababi endaweni yababukelayo.
He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Ngenxa yokuthi bephambukile ekumlandeleni, bengananzanga leyodwa yezindlela zakhe,
because they turned away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways,
28 baze benza ukukhala komyanga kufike kuye, njalo wakuzwa ukukhala kwabahluphekayo.
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard 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 gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,
30 Ukuze abantu abangabazenzisi bangabusi, ukuze bangabi yimijibila ebantwini.
that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 Isibili uthe kuNkulunkulu: Ngithwele isijeziso, kangiyikona.
“For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 Lokhu engingakuboniyo ngifundise wena; uba ngenze okubi kangisayikukwenza futhi.
Teach me that which I don’t see. 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 you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
34 Abantu abalokuqedisisa bazakhuluma kimi, lomuntu ohlakaniphileyo uzangizwa.
Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 UJobe ukhulume engelalwazi, lamazwi akhe kawalanhlakanipho.
‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’
36 Kungathi ngabe uJobe uyahlolwa kuze kube sekupheleni, ngenxa yempendulo zakhe njengabantu ababi.
I wish that Job were tried to 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 adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.”
