UJobe 8
1 Wasephendula uBilidadi umShuhi wathi:
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
2 Koze kube nini ukhuluma lezizinto, lamazwi omlomo wakho abe ngumoya olamandla?
“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 UNkulunkulu uyahlanekela isahlulelo yini? Kumbe uSomandla uyahlanekela ukulunga yini?
Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 Uba abantwana bakho bonile kuye, yena usebalahlile emandleni esiphambeko sabo;
If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5 uba wena umdinga uNkulunkulu ngovivi, uncenge kuSomandla;
If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
6 uba uhlambulukile, uqotho; isibili khathesi ubezavuka ngenxa yakho, aphumelelise indawo yokuhlala yokulunga kwakho.
If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
7 Lanxa ukuqala kwakho bekukuncinyane, kube kanti isiphetho sakho sizakwanda kakhulu.
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8 Ngoba ake ubuze esizukulwaneni sakuqala, uzilungisele isidingo saboyise.
“Please enquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
9 Ngoba singabezolo, njalo kasazi, ngoba insuku zethu emhlabeni ziyisithunzi.
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
10 Kabayikukufundisa yini, bakutshele, bakhuphe amazwi enhliziyweni yabo?
Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Imihlanga ingakhula lapho okungelaxhaphozi khona yini? Ibhuma likhule lapho okungelamanzi khona?
“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
12 Nxa lisebuluhlazeni balo lingakakhiwa, kube kanti libuna kuqala kwazo zonke izihlahlakazana.
While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
13 Zinjalo indlela zabo bonke abamkhohlwayo uNkulunkulu, lethemba lomzenzisi lizabhubha.
So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,
14 Othemba lakhe lizaqunywa, lokuthemba kwakhe kuyibulembu besayobe.
whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.
15 Uyeyama endlini yakhe, kodwa kayimi; ubambelela kiyo, kodwa kayihlali.
He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
16 Uluhlaza phambi kwelanga, lamahlumela akhe aphuma esivandeni sakhe.
He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.
17 Impande zakhe zithandele enqunjini; ubona indawo yamatshe.
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
18 Uba emchitha endaweni yakhe, izamphika ithi: Kangizange ngikubone.
If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19 Khangela, le yintokozo yendlela yakhe; njalo kuzakhula abanye emhlabathini.
Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.
20 Khangela, uNkulunkulu kayikumlahla opheleleyo, kabambi isandla sabenzi bobubi.
“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 Aze agcwalise umlomo wakho ngohleko, lezindebe zakho ngokumemeza kwentokozo.
He will still 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.”
