Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
“Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na? Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na? Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona lakwethesela khona amacala na?
5 Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na? Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho; uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
7 You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi, abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi, indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho izintandane waziqeda amandla.
10 Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila, usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni, njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
12 “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na? Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
13 You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini? Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na eseyahanjwa ngababi?
16 who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo, izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
17 who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! USomandla angasenzani na?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle, ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze; abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe, lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
21 “Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye; ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe, amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa; nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini, igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
25 The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho, lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe, njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa, lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
29 When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’ lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo, abazakhululwa ngenxa yokubamsulwa kwakho.”
