UJobe 4

1 UElifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 Uba sizama ilizwi kuwe, uzadabuka yini? Kodwa ngubani ongazibamba emazwini?

If anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient? But who can stop himself from speaking?

3 Khangela, uqondisile abanengi, waqinisa izandla ezibuthakathaka.

See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.

4 Amazwi akho amvusile okhubekayo, waqinisa amadolo axegayo.

Your words have supported him who was falling; you have made feeble knees firm.

5 Kodwa khathesi kufikile kuwe, uyadinwa; kuyakuthinta wena, utshaywa luvalo.

But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.

6 Ukwesaba kwakho uNkulunkulu kakusiso isibindi sakho yini, lobuqotho bendlela zakho ithemba lakho?

Is not your fear your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 Akukhumbule, ngubani owake wachithwa engelacala? Kumbe abalungileyo bake baqunywa ngaphi?

Think about this, please: Who has ever perished when innocent? Or when were the upright people ever cut off?

8 Njengengikubonileyo, abalima ububi behlanyela udubo, bavuna khona.

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.

9 Ngokuphephetha kukaNkulunkulu bayabhubha, langokuphefumula kwamakhala akhe bayaphela.

By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

10 Ukubhonga kwesilwane, lelizwi lesilwane esesabekayo, lamazinyo amabhongo esilwane, kwephukile.

The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions—they are broken.

11 Isilwane esidala siyabhubha ngokuswela impango, lemidlwane yesilwanekazi isabalale.

The old lion perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.

12 Ngasenginyenyezelwa ilizwi, lendlebe yami yemukela okuncinyane kwalo.

Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper about it.

13 Phakathi kwemicabango yemibono yebusuku, lapho ubuthongo obukhulu busehlela abantu,

Then came thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.

14 ukwesaba kwangifikela lokuthuthumela okwenza ubunengi bamathambo ami baqhaqhazela.

It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me, and all my bones shook.

15 Kwasekusedlula umoya ebusweni bami, loboya benyama yami bavuka.

Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.

16 Wema, kodwa angikuqondanga ukubonakala kwawo; isimo sasiphambi kwamehlo ami; kwathula, ngasengisizwa ilizwi lisithi:

The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice that said,

17 Kambe umuntu angalunga okwedlula uNkulunkulu? Umuntu angahlambuluka okwedlula uMenzi wakhe yini?

“Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 Khangela, kazithembi inceku zakhe, lengilosi zakhe uthi zingabaphosisi.

See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,

19 Kangakanani abahlala endlini zebumba, abasisekelo sabo sisethulini, abachotshozwa phambi kwenundu.

how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a moth?

20 Bakhandwa kusukela ekuseni kuze kube kusihlwa, kungelakunanzwa bayabhubha kuze kube nininini.

Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever without anyone noticing them.

21 Ubuhle babo kabususwa labo yini? Bayafa kodwa bengalanhlakanipho.

Are not their tent cords plucked up among them? They die; they die without wisdom.