UJobe
4 U-Elifazi+ umThemani waphendula wathi:
2 “Nxa umuntu angazama ukukhuluma lawe, uzadakeka yini?
Mina ngizakhuluma ngoba kuyala ukuthi ngifele ngaphakathi.
3 Wena ubaqondisile abanengi,
Waqinisa labangelamandla.
4 Amazwi akho ayevusa loba ngubani okhubekileyo,
Wawubaqinisa abalamadolo axegayo.
5 Kodwa khathesi sekukwehlele lawe, usuthwala imikhono ekhanda.
Sekuphezu kwakho, usuphela amandla.
6 Kungani ungahlaliseki wena umhlonipha uNkulunkulu?
Kungani ulahla ithemba wena uqotho?+
7 Khumbula ukuthi akulamuntu ongelacala owake watshabalala.
Njenganini lapho okwake kwabhujiswa khona umuntu oqotho?
8 Mina engikubonileyo yikuthi abalima okulimazayo*
Labahlanyela okubi bazavuna khona.
9 Nxa uNkulunkulu ephefumula bayatshabalala,
Nxa evutha ngolaka bayaphela bonke.
10 Isilwane siyabhonga, lesilwane esincane siyahwabha,
Kodwa ngitsho lamazinyo ezilwane lezo ezilamandla ayaqamuka.
11 Isilwane siyafa nxa singaswela ukudla,
Imidlwane yaso isabalale indawo yonke.
12 Kwafika ilizwi ezindlebeni zami,
Ngalinyenyezelwa kungelamuntu olizwayo.
13 Phakathi kobusuku abantu belele nya,
Ngabona imibono eyangikhathazayo,
14 Ngafikelwa yikwesaba okukhulu,
Wonke amathambo ami aqhaqhazela.
15 Kwathi tshazi umoya phambi kobuso bami,
Inwele zami zasukuma.
16 Wafika wama mpo,
Kodwa angizange nginanzelele ukuthi wawuyisimo bani.
Kwakungathi lithunzi eliphambi kwami;
Kwathula cwaka, ngasengisizwa ilizwi lisithi:
17 ‘Kambe umuntu angalunga ukwedlula uNkulunkulu?
Angahlanzeka kulalowo owamenzayo?’
18 Phela yena kazithembi izinceku zakhe,
Lezingilosi* zakhe uyazisola.
19 Pho labo abahlala ezindlini zomdaka ke?
Angabathemba yini abalesisekelo esisethulini,+
Abahlifizeka lula njengesibungu?
20 Bavuka beqine saka kodwa lithi lisiyatshona bengasekho.
Bayatshabalala kungabi lomuntu ozihlupha ngabo.
21 Bazifananela letende elihwatshwe intambo,
Bafa bengelakho ukuhlakanipha.