UJobe 8
1 Wasephendula uBilidadi umShuhi wathi:
Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said,
2 Koze kube nini ukhuluma lezizinto, lamazwi omlomo wakho abe ngumoya olamandla?
“How much longer will you go on talking like this? The words coming out of your mouth are a lot of hot air!
3 UNkulunkulu uyahlanekela isahlulelo yini? Kumbe uSomandla uyahlanekela ukulunga yini?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 Uba abantwana bakho bonile kuye, yena usebalahlile emandleni esiphambeko sabo;
Your children must have sinned against him, and so they deserved the punishment he inflicted on them.
5 uba wena umdinga uNkulunkulu ngovivi, uncenge kuSomandla;
But if you pray to God and ask for his help,
6 uba uhlambulukile, uqotho; isibili khathesi ubezavuka ngenxa yakho, aphumelelise indawo yokuhlala yokulunga kwakho.
if you live a clean life and do what is right, then he would act to make things right for you in your home.
7 Lanxa ukuqala kwakho bekukuncinyane, kube kanti isiphetho sakho sizakwanda kakhulu.
Though you began with next to nothing, you will end up with so much!
8 Ngoba ake ubuze esizukulwaneni sakuqala, uzilungisele isidingo saboyise.
Why don't you ask what previous generations discovered, examine what our ancestors found out? We were born yesterday and don't know anything!
9 Ngoba singabezolo, njalo kasazi, ngoba insuku zethu emhlabeni ziyisithunzi.
Our days on earth fade as quickly as a passing shadow.
10 Kabayikukufundisa yini, bakutshele, bakhuphe amazwi enhliziyweni yabo?
Won't they teach you and explain what they know?
11 Imihlanga ingakhula lapho okungelaxhaphozi khona yini? Ibhuma likhule lapho okungelamanzi khona?
Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
12 Nxa lisebuluhlazeni balo lingakakhiwa, kube kanti libuna kuqala kwazo zonke izihlahlakazana.
Even without being cut, while they are still flowering, they wither faster than grass.
13 Zinjalo indlela zabo bonke abamkhohlwayo uNkulunkulu, lethemba lomzenzisi lizabhubha.
This is what happens to everyone who forgets God. The hopes of those who live without God come to nothing.
14 Othemba lakhe lizaqunywa, lokuthemba kwakhe kuyibulembu besayobe.
Their confidence is like holding on to a flimsy spider's web.
15 Uyeyama endlini yakhe, kodwa kayimi; ubambelela kiyo, kodwa kayihlali.
They look to their home to provide security, but it provides no support. They try to hang onto it, but it doesn't last.
16 Uluhlaza phambi kwelanga, lamahlumela akhe aphuma esivandeni sakhe.
Those who live without God are like a luxuriant plant growing in the sun, spreading its shoots all over the garden.
17 Impande zakhe zithandele enqunjini; ubona indawo yamatshe.
It twists its roots down through the stones, and holds on to rock.
18 Uba emchitha endaweni yakhe, izamphika ithi: Kangizange ngikubone.
But when it's cut down, the place where it was disowns it, saying, ‘I never even saw you.’
19 Khangela, le yintokozo yendlela yakhe; njalo kuzakhula abanye emhlabathini.
Its life is over, and others spring up from the earth to take its place.
20 Khangela, uNkulunkulu kayikumlahla opheleleyo, kabambi isandla sabenzi bobubi.
Look, God doesn't reject someone who is innocent, and he doesn't support those who are guilty.
21 Aze agcwalise umlomo wakho ngohleko, lezindebe zakho ngokumemeza kwentokozo.
He can make you laugh with happiness again and shout for joy.
22 Abakuzondayo bazakwembeswa ngenhloni, lethente lababi lingabi khona.
Those who hate you will be put to shame, and the place where the wicked live will be destroyed.”
