UJobe 8
1 Wasephendula uBilidadi umShuhi wathi:
And Bildad the Shuhite answereth and saith: —
2 Koze kube nini ukhuluma lezizinto, lamazwi omlomo wakho abe ngumoya olamandla?
Till when dost thou speak these things? And a strong wind — sayings of thy mouth?
3 UNkulunkulu uyahlanekela isahlulelo yini? Kumbe uSomandla uyahlanekela ukulunga yini?
Doth God pervert judgment? And doth the Mighty One pervert justice?
4 Uba abantwana bakho bonile kuye, yena usebalahlile emandleni esiphambeko sabo;
If thy sons have sinned before Him, And He doth send them away, By the hand of their transgression,
5 uba wena umdinga uNkulunkulu ngovivi, uncenge kuSomandla;
If thou dost seek early unto God, And unto the Mighty makest supplication,
6 uba uhlambulukile, uqotho; isibili khathesi ubezavuka ngenxa yakho, aphumelelise indawo yokuhlala yokulunga kwakho.
If pure and upright thou [art], Surely now He waketh for thee, And hath completed The habitation of thy righteousness.
7 Lanxa ukuqala kwakho bekukuncinyane, kube kanti isiphetho sakho sizakwanda kakhulu.
And thy beginning hath been small, And thy latter end is very great.
8 Ngoba ake ubuze esizukulwaneni sakuqala, uzilungisele isidingo saboyise.
For, ask I pray thee of a former generation, And prepare to a search of their fathers,
9 Ngoba singabezolo, njalo kasazi, ngoba insuku zethu emhlabeni ziyisithunzi.
(For of yesterday we [are], and we know not, For a shadow [are] our days on earth.)
10 Kabayikukufundisa yini, bakutshele, bakhuphe amazwi enhliziyweni yabo?
Do they not shew thee — speak to thee, And from their heart bring forth words?
11 Imihlanga ingakhula lapho okungelaxhaphozi khona yini? Ibhuma likhule lapho okungelamanzi khona?
'Doth a rush wise without mire? A reed increase without water?
12 Nxa lisebuluhlazeni balo lingakakhiwa, kube kanti libuna kuqala kwazo zonke izihlahlakazana.
While it [is] in its budding — uncropped, Even before any herb it withereth.
13 Zinjalo indlela zabo bonke abamkhohlwayo uNkulunkulu, lethemba lomzenzisi lizabhubha.
So [are] the paths of all forgetting God, And the hope of the profane doth perish,
14 Othemba lakhe lizaqunywa, lokuthemba kwakhe kuyibulembu besayobe.
Whose confidence is loathsome, And the house of a spider his trust.
15 Uyeyama endlini yakhe, kodwa kayimi; ubambelela kiyo, kodwa kayihlali.
He leaneth on his house — and it standeth not: He taketh hold on it — and it abideth not.
16 Uluhlaza phambi kwelanga, lamahlumela akhe aphuma esivandeni sakhe.
Green he [is] before the sun, And over his garden his branch goeth out.
17 Impande zakhe zithandele enqunjini; ubona indawo yamatshe.
By a heap his roots are wrapped, A house of stones he looketh for.
18 Uba emchitha endaweni yakhe, izamphika ithi: Kangizange ngikubone.
If [one] doth destroy him from his place, Then it hath feigned concerning him, I have not seen thee!
19 Khangela, le yintokozo yendlela yakhe; njalo kuzakhula abanye emhlabathini.
Lo, this [is] the joy of his way, And from the dust others spring up.'
20 Khangela, uNkulunkulu kayikumlahla opheleleyo, kabambi isandla sabenzi bobubi.
Lo, God doth not reject the perfect, Nor taketh hold on the hand of evil doers.
21 Aze agcwalise umlomo wakho ngohleko, lezindebe zakho ngokumemeza kwentokozo.
While he filleth with laughter thy mouth, And thy lips with shouting,
22 Abakuzondayo bazakwembeswa ngenhloni, lethente lababi lingabi khona.
Those hating thee do put on shame, And the tent of the wicked is not!
