UJobe 4
1 UElifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
Then Eliphaz, from Teman, replied to Job. He said,
2 Uba sizama ilizwi kuwe, uzadabuka yini? Kodwa ngubani ongazibamba emazwini?
“Will you please let me say something to you? I am not [RHQ] able to remain silent [any longer].
3 Khangela, uqondisile abanengi, waqinisa izandla ezibuthakathaka.
In the past, you have instructed/taught many people, and you have encouraged those who were weak.
4 Amazwi akho amvusile okhubekayo, waqinisa amadolo axegayo.
By what you said, you have helped those who (needed spiritual help/almost quit trusting in God) [MET], and you have enabled them to become spiritually strong again [MET].
5 Kodwa khathesi kufikile kuwe, uyadinwa; kuyakuthinta wena, utshaywa luvalo.
But now, when you experience disasters, you become discouraged. The disasters hit you, and you are stunned.
6 Ukwesaba kwakho uNkulunkulu kakusiso isibindi sakho yini, lobuqotho bendlela zakho ithemba lakho?
You revere God; (does that not cause you to trust [in him]?/that should cause you to trust [in him].) [RHQ] If you were guiltless, you would [RHQ] be confident that [God] would not [have allowed] these disasters [to] happen to you!
7 Akukhumbule, ngubani owake wachithwa engelacala? Kumbe abalungileyo bake baqunywa ngaphi?
Think about this: Do innocent people die [while they are still young] [RHQ]? Does God get rid of godly people [RHQ]? [No!]
8 Njengengikubonileyo, abalima ububi behlanyela udubo, bavuna khona.
What I have experienced is this: [Just as] [MET] farmers who plant bad [seeds] do not harvest good [crops], [just as those who start] trouble for others, later bring trouble on themselves.
9 Ngokuphephetha kukaNkulunkulu bayabhubha, langokuphefumula kwamakhala akhe bayaphela.
They die when God angrily blows his breath on them, when he is very angry with them.
10 Ukubhonga kwesilwane, lelizwi lesilwane esesabekayo, lamazinyo amabhongo esilwane, kwephukile.
[Even though wicked people may be very powerful like] young lions, [God] will get rid of them [MET].
11 Isilwane esidala siyabhubha ngokuswela impango, lemidlwane yesilwanekazi isabalale.
[They will die like] fierce lions [that] starve to death when there are no animals that they can kill and eat, and [their children will be separated from each other like] young lions separate from each other [to find food].”
12 Ngasenginyenyezelwa ilizwi, lendlebe yami yemukela okuncinyane kwalo.
“I heard a message that someone came and whispered to me.
13 Phakathi kwemicabango yemibono yebusuku, lapho ubuthongo obukhulu busehlela abantu,
He spoke to me at night when I was having a bad dream that disturbed/frightened me while I was fast asleep.
14 ukwesaba kwangifikela lokuthuthumela okwenza ubunengi bamathambo ami baqhaqhazela.
It caused me to be afraid and tremble; it caused all my bones to shake.
15 Kwasekusedlula umoya ebusweni bami, loboya benyama yami bavuka.
A ghost glided past my face and caused the hair on [on the back of] my neck to stand straight up.
16 Wema, kodwa angikuqondanga ukubonakala kwawo; isimo sasiphambi kwamehlo ami; kwathula, ngasengisizwa ilizwi lisithi:
It stopped, but I could not see what form it had. But [I could sense that] there was some being in front of me, and it said in a quiet voice,
17 Kambe umuntu angalunga okwedlula uNkulunkulu? Umuntu angahlambuluka okwedlula uMenzi wakhe yini?
‘(Does God consider anyone to be righteous?/No human beings can be righteous in God’s sight!) [RHQ] (Their creator cannot consider them to be pure./Can their creator consider them to be pure?) [RHQ]
18 Khangela, kazithembi inceku zakhe, lengilosi zakhe uthi zingabaphosisi.
God cannot be sure that his own angels [will always do what is right]; he declares that some of them have done what is wrong.
19 Kangakanani abahlala endlini zebumba, abasisekelo sabo sisethulini, abachotshozwa phambi kwenundu.
So he certainly cannot trust human beings who were made from dust and clay, who are crushed as easily as moths are crushed!
20 Bakhandwa kusukela ekuseni kuze kube kusihlwa, kungelakunanzwa bayabhubha kuze kube nininini.
People are sometimes well in the morning, but in the evening they are dead. They are gone forever and do not even know it (OR, and no one pays any attention to it).
21 Ubuhle babo kabususwa labo yini? Bayafa kodwa bengalanhlakanipho.
They are like [MET] tents that collapse [suddenly]: They die [suddenly] before they become wise.’”
