5
U-Elifazi Uqhubeka Ekhuluma
1 “Memeza nxa uthanda, kodwa ngubani ozakuphendula na?
Uzaphendukela kuwuphi wabangcwele na?
2 Ukucaphuka kuyasibulala isiwula
lomhawu uyamqeda oyisithutha.
3 Mina ngokwami sengasibona isiwula siphumelela,
kodwa masinyane nje indlu yaso yayisiqalekisiwe.
4 Abantwabaso kabavikelekanga lakancinyane,
baphoselwa entolongweni bengelamvikeli.
5 Abalambileyo bayazidlela isivuno sakhe,
besithatha kanye lasemeveni,
labomileyo bahahabela inotho yakhe.
6 Ngoba ubunzima kabugobhozi emhlabathini,
loba uhlupho luhlume phansi.
7 Kodwa umuntu uzalelwa ukuhlupheka
njengoba ngeqiniso inhlansi zomlilo ziqhatshela phezulu.
8 Kodwa aluba ubuyimi, bengizamncenga uNkulunkulu;
bengizakwethula udubo lwami kuye.
9 Uyazenza izimanga ezingelakulinganiswa,
imimangaliso engelakubalwa.
10 Uyanisa izulu emhlabeni;
uthumela amanzi elizweni.
11 Abaphansi uyabakhweza phezulu,
lalabo abakhalayo ubaphakamisela ekuphepheni.
12 Uyawafubisa amacebo amaqili,
ukuze izandla zawo zingaphumeleli.
13 Uyababamba abahlakaniphileyo ebuqilini babo,
kuthi amaqhinga eziphoxo achitheke.
14 Ubumnyama buyabehlela emini;
phakathi kwemini bayaphumputha kungathi kusebusuku.
15 Uyabasindisa abaswelayo baphephe inkemba emlonyeni wabo;
uyabasindisa ekubanjweni ngabalamandla.
16 Ngakho abayanga balalo ithemba,
ukwahlulela kubi kuvala owakho umlomo.
17 Ubusisiwe umuntu oqondiswa nguNkulunkulu;
ngakho ungaseyisi isijeziso sikaSomandla.
18 Ngoba uyagwaza, kodwa aphinde abophe amanxeba;
uyalimaza kodwa izandla zakhe njalo ziyapholisa.
19 Uzakuhlenga ezinhluphekweni eziyisithupha;
kweziyisikhombisa kawuyikuwelwa yingozi.
20 Ngesikhathi sendlala uzakuhlenga ekufeni,
lasempini akuhlenge ekugaleleni kwenkemba.
21 Uzavikelwa ekuhletshweni,
ungaze wesaba nxa kufika incithakalo.
22 Uzakuhleka ukuchithakala kanye lendlala,
njalo ungaze wazesaba izilo zomhlaba.
23 Ngoba uzakuba lesivumelwano lamatshe eganga,
lezinyamazana zeganga zizahlalisana kuhle lawe.
24 Uzakwazi ukuthi ithente lakho livikelekile;
uzahlolisisa impahla yakho uthole kungelalutho olungekho.
25 Uzakwazi ukuthi abantwabakho bazakuba banengi,
lesizukulwane sakho sibe ngangotshani bomhlaba.
26 Uzakuza engcwabeni usukhulile okugcweleyo
njengezikhwebu zamabele eziqoqwa seziphelele.
27 Sesikuhlolile lokhu, kuliqiniso.
Ngakho kuzwisise, ukulandele wena ngokwakho.”