UJobe 8
1 Wasephendula uBilidadi umShuhi wathi:
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
2 Koze kube nini ukhuluma lezizinto, lamazwi omlomo wakho abe ngumoya olamandla?
“How long will you say these things? How long will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 UNkulunkulu uyahlanekela isahlulelo yini? Kumbe uSomandla uyahlanekela ukulunga yini?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 Uba abantwana bakho bonile kuye, yena usebalahlile emandleni esiphambeko sabo;
Your children have sinned against him; we know this, for he gave them into the hand of their sins.
5 uba wena umdinga uNkulunkulu ngovivi, uncenge kuSomandla;
But suppose you diligently sought God and presented your request to the Almighty.
6 uba uhlambulukile, uqotho; isibili khathesi ubezavuka ngenxa yakho, aphumelelise indawo yokuhlala yokulunga kwakho.
If you are pure and upright, then he would surely stir himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.
7 Lanxa ukuqala kwakho bekukuncinyane, kube kanti isiphetho sakho sizakwanda kakhulu.
Even though your beginning was small, still your final condition would be much greater.
8 Ngoba ake ubuze esizukulwaneni sakuqala, uzilungisele isidingo saboyise.
Please ask the former generations, and give your attention to what our ancestors learned.
9 Ngoba singabezolo, njalo kasazi, ngoba insuku zethu emhlabeni ziyisithunzi.
(We were only born yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are a shadow).
10 Kabayikukufundisa yini, bakutshele, bakhuphe amazwi enhliziyweni yabo?
Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not speak words from their hearts?
11 Imihlanga ingakhula lapho okungelaxhaphozi khona yini? Ibhuma likhule lapho okungelamanzi khona?
Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
12 Nxa lisebuluhlazeni balo lingakakhiwa, kube kanti libuna kuqala kwazo zonke izihlahlakazana.
While they are still green and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.
13 Zinjalo indlela zabo bonke abamkhohlwayo uNkulunkulu, lethemba lomzenzisi lizabhubha.
So also are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish.
14 Othemba lakhe lizaqunywa, lokuthemba kwakhe kuyibulembu besayobe.
His confidence will break apart, and his trust is as weak as a spider's web.
15 Uyeyama endlini yakhe, kodwa kayimi; ubambelela kiyo, kodwa kayihlali.
He leans on his house, but it will not support him; he takes hold of it, but it does not stand.
16 Uluhlaza phambi kwelanga, lamahlumela akhe aphuma esivandeni sakhe.
Under the sun he is green, and his shoots go out over his entire garden.
17 Impande zakhe zithandele enqunjini; ubona indawo yamatshe.
His roots are wrapped about the heaps of stone; they look for good places among the rocks.
18 Uba emchitha endaweni yakhe, izamphika ithi: Kangizange ngikubone.
But if this person is destroyed out of his place, then that place will deny him and say, 'I never saw you.'
19 Khangela, le yintokozo yendlela yakhe; njalo kuzakhula abanye emhlabathini.
See, this is the “joy” of such a person's behavior; other plants will sprout out of the same soil in his place.
20 Khangela, uNkulunkulu kayikumlahla opheleleyo, kabambi isandla sabenzi bobubi.
See, God will not cast away an innocent man; neither will he take the hand of evildoers.
21 Aze agcwalise umlomo wakho ngohleko, lezindebe zakho ngokumemeza kwentokozo.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
22 Abakuzondayo bazakwembeswa ngenhloni, lethente lababi lingabi khona.
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame; the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
