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Impendulo Ka-Elifazi
1 U-Elifazi umThemani wasephendula wathi:
2 “Umuntu angasiza uNkulunkulu na?
Lesihlakaniphi uqobo kambe singamsiza na?
3 Bekungamupha ntokozo bani uSomandla ukulunga kwakho na?
Ubengazuzani ngabe kuthiwa kawulasici na?
4 Yikumesaba kwakho yini akukhuzela khona
lakwethesela khona amacala na?
5 Kabubukhulu ububi bakho na?
Lezono zakho angithi kazipheli na?
6 Wawubiza isibambiso kubafowenu kungelasizatho;
uhlubula abantu izigqoko zabo basale beze.
7 Abakhatheleyo wawubancitsha amanzi,
abalambileyo ungabaphi ukudla,
8 lanxa wena wawuyindoda elamandla, ulepulazi,
indoda ehlonitshwayo, uphila kulo.
9 Abafelokazi wabaxotsha ungabaphanga lutho
izintandane waziqeda amandla.
10 Kungenxa yalokho usuhanqwe yimijibila,
usuhlukuluzwa luhlupho masinyane,
11 yikho kumnyama kangaka ungasaboni,
njalo yikho ususibekelwa zimpophoma zamanzi.
12 UNkulunkulu kakho esiqongweni samazulu na?
Ake ubone phela ukuthi ziphakeme njani izinkanyezi ezisesiqongweni!
13 Kodwa wena uthi, ‘UNkulunkulu wazini?
Angahlulela phakathi komnyama onje?
14 Usithwe ngamayezi amakhulu, ngakho kasiboni
nxa ehambahamba ezulwini eliphezulu.’
15 Wena-ke uzakwalela endleleni endala na
eseyahanjwa ngababi?
16 Bedluliswa singakafiki isikhathi sabo,
izisekelo zabo zakhukhulwa nguzamcolo.
17 Bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi!
USomandla angasenzani na?’
18 Ikanti kunguye owagcwalisa izindlu zabo ngezinto ezinhle,
ngakho kangingeni ezelulekweni zababi.
19 Abalungileyo bayakubona lokho bathokoze;
abangelacala bayabahleka bathi,
20 ‘Ngempela izitha zethu zichithiwe,
lokuseleyo kwenotho yazo sekubhuqwe ngumlilo.’
21 Zehlise kuNkulunkulu ukuze uwelelane laye;
ngaleyondlela ukuphumelela kuzakuza kuwe.
22 Yamukela iziqondiso eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe,
amazwi akhe uwabeke enhliziyweni yakho.
23 Nxa ubuyela kuSomandla, uzavuselelwa;
nxa ususa ububi bube kude lethente lakho
24 lomthuso wakho uwulahlele othulini,
igolide lakho lase-Ofiri ulilahlele emadwaleni ezifuleni,
25 lapho-ke uSomandla uzakuba ligolide lakho,
lesiliva esikhethekileyo kuwe.
26 Ngempela uzazuza ukuthokoza kuSomandla
uphakamisele ubuso bakho kuNkulunkulu.
27 Uzakhuleka kuye, yena akuzwe,
njalo uzagcwalisa izifungo zakho.
28 Lokho okumisileyo kuzakwenziwa,
lokukhanya kuzazikhanyisa izindlela zakho.
29 Nxa abantu besehliswa ubususithi, ‘Baphakamiseni!’
lapho-ke uzabasiza abahlulukelweyo.
30 Uzabasiza lalabo abonayo,