To The Word – Day 160

₁Kwakukhona umuntu ezweni lase-Uzi ogama lakhe lalinguJobe; lowo muntu wayengenasici elungile, wayemesaba uNkulunkulu, wabalekela okubi. ₂Wazala amadodana ayisikhombisa namadodakazi amathathu. ₃Impahla yakhe yayiyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa, namakamela ayizinkulungwane ezintathu, namabhangqa angamakhulu ayisihlanu ezinkabi, nezimbongolo zezinsikazi ezingamakhulu ayisihlanu, nezinceku eziningi kakhulu; wayemkhulu lowo muntu kunabo bonke abantu basempumalanga.

₄Amadodana akhe ayehamba enza idili endlini yaleyo naleyo ngosuku lwayo; ayesethuma ebiza odadewabo abathathu ukuba badle, baphuze nawo. ₅Kwathi lapho seziphelile izinsuku zedili lawo, uJobe wathuma wawangcwelisa, wavuka ekuseni, wanikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa njengomumo wawo onke; ngokuba uJobe wathi: “Mhlawumbe amadodana ami onile, amthukile uNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zawo.” Wenze njalo uJobe imihla yonke.

₆Kwathi ngelinye ilanga kwafika amadodana kaNkulunkulu ema phambi kukaJehova, kwafika noSathane phakathi kwawo. ₇UJehova wayesethi kuSathane: “Uvelaphi na?”

USathane wamphendula uJehova, wathi: “Ekuzuleni emhlabeni nasekuhambahambeni kuwo.”

₈Wayesethi uJehova kuSathane: “Inhliziyo yakho iyiqaphele inceku yami uJobe na? Ngokuba akakho onjengaye emhlabeni, umuntu ongenasici nolungileyo, omesaba uNkulunkulu, obalekela okubi.”

₉USathane wamphendula uJehova, wathi: “UJobe uyamesaba uNkulunkulu ngeze na? ₁₀Wena awumbiyelanga yini yena nendlu yakhe nakho konke okwakhe nxazonke, wabusisa umsebenzi wezandla zakhe na? Impahla yakhe yandile emhlabeni. ₁₁Kepha ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte konke anakho, impela uyakukuthuka ebusweni bakho.”

₁₂Wathi uJehova kuSathane: “Bheka, konke anakho kusesandleni sakho; kuphela kuyena uqobo ungabeki isandla sakho.” Wayesephuma uSathane ebusweni bukaJehova.

₁₃Kwathi ngolunye usuku lapho amadodana akhe namadodakazi akhe edla, ephuza iwayini endlini yomfowabo oyizibulo, ₁₄kwafika isithunywa kuJobe, sathi: “Izinkabi bezilima, izimbongolo ziklabile eceleni kwazo, ₁₅lapho amaSheba etheleka, azithatha; izinceku azibulele ngosiko lwenkemba; mina ngedwa kuphela ngisindile, ukuze ngikubikele.”

₁₆Esakhuluma lowo, kwafika nomunye, wathi: “Umlilo kaNkulunkulu uwile ezulwini, washisa izimvu nezinceku, waziqeda; mina ngedwa kuphela ngisindile, ukuze ngikubikele.”

₁₇Esakhuluma lowo, kwafika nomunye, wathi: “AmaKaledi enza amaviyo amathathu, ahlasela amakamela, awathatha, azibulala izinceku ngosiko lwenkemba; mina ngedwa kuphela ngisindile, ukuze ngikubikele.”

₁₈Esakhuluma lowo, kwafika nomunye, wathi: “Amadodana akho namadodakazi akho ayedla, ephuza iwayini endlini yomfowabo oyizibulo; ₁₉bheka, kwafika, kwadabula ihlane umoya omkhulu, washaya amagumbi omane endlu, yawa phezu kwezinsizwa, zafa; mina ngedwa kuphela ngisindile, ukuze ngikubikele.”

₂₀Wayesesukuma uJobe, waklebhula ingubo yakhe, waphucula ikhanda lakhe, wawela emhlabathini, wakhuleka, ₂₁wathi:

₂₂Kukho konke lokho uJobe akonanga, akamthelanga uNkulunkulu okubi.

₁Kwathi futhi ngelinye ilanga afika amadodana kaNkulunkulu, ema phambi kukaJehova; noSathane wafika phakathi kwawo ukuba eme phambi kukaJehova. ₂UJehova wathi kuSathane: “Uvelaphi na?”

USathane wamphendula uJehova, wathi: “Ekuzuleni emhlabeni nasekuhambahambeni kuwo.”

₃Wayesethi uJehova kuSathane: “Inhliziyo yakho iyiqaphele inceku yami uJobe na? Ngokuba akakho onjengaye emhlabeni, umuntu ongenasici nolungileyo, omesaba uNkulunkulu, obalekela okubi; usabambelela ekupheleleni kwakhe, noma ungivusele ukumchitha engenacala.”

₄USathane wamphendula uJehova, wathi: “Isikhumba ngesikhumba, yebo, konke umuntu anakho uyakunika ngokuphila kwakhe. ₅Kepha ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte amathambo akhe nenyama yakhe, impela uyakukuthuka ebusweni bakho.”

₆UJehova wayesethi kuSathane: “Bheka, usesandleni sakho; gcina ukuphila kwakhe kodwa.”

₇Wayesephuma uSathane ebusweni bukaJehova, wamshaya uJobe ngamathumba amabi, kusukela ematheni onyawo kuze kufike okhakhayini. ₈Wathatha udengezi ukuzozenwaya ngalo; wayehlezi phakathi komlotha.

₉Wayesethi umkakhe kuye: “Usabambelela ekupheleleni kwakho na? Thuka uNkulunkulu, ufe.”

₁₀Kepha wathi kuye: “Ukhuluma njengalokhu owesifazane oyisiwula ekhuluma. Siyakwamukela okuhle kuphela kuNkulunkulu, singamukeli nokubi, na?” Kukho konke lokho uJobe akonanga ngomlomo wakhe.

₁₁Lapho abangane abathathu bakaJobe sebezwe ngakho konke lokho okubi okumehleleyo, bafika kuye bevela, kwaba yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe: ngu-Elifazi umThemani, noBilidadi umShuhi, noSofari umNahama; bavumelana ukuba baye bamkhalele, bamduduze. ₁₂Lapho bephakamisa amehlo abo besekude, abamazanga; badazuluka bakhala, baklebhula, kwaba yilowo nalowo ingubo yakhe, bafafaza amakhanda abo ngothuli beluphonsa phezulu. ₁₃Bahlala phansi naye emhlabathini izinsuku eziyisikhombisa nobusuku obuyisikhombisa, akukhulumanga muntu kuye, ngokuba babona ukuthi usizi lwakhe lwalulukhulu kakhulu.

₁Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.

₂UJobe wathatha wathi:

₁UPawulu, inceku kaKristu Jesu, umphostoli obiziweyo nowahlukaniselwe ivangeli likaNkulunkulu, ₂alethembisa ngaphambili ngabaprofethi bakhe emibhalweni engcwele ₃mayelana neNdodana yakhe eyavela enzalweni kaDavide ngokwenyama, ₄eyabonakaliswa ngamandla ukuthi iyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ngokoMoya wobungcwele ngokuvuka kwabafileyo, uJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu ₅esamukela ngaye umusa nobuphostoli kube ngukulalela kokukholwa ezizweni zonke ngenxa yegama lakhe, ₆enikuzo nani eningababiziweyo bakaJesu Kristu, ₇kubo bonke abathandiweyo bakaNkulunkulu abaseRoma, ababiziweyo, abangcwele: Makube kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu naseNkosini uJesu Kristu.

₈Kuqala-ke ngibonga uNkulunkulu wami ngoJesu Kristu ngani nonke, ngokuba ukukholwa kwenu kunconywa ezweni lonke. ₉Ngokuba uNkulunkulu, engimkhonza emoyeni wami ngevangeli leNdodana yakhe, ungufakazi wami wokuthi ngokungaphezi ngiyanikhumbula ₁₀njalo emikhulekweni yami, nginxusa ukuba, uma kungenzeka ngentando kaNkulunkulu, ngiphumelele ukufika kini.

₁₁Ngokuba ngilangazelela ukunibona ukuze nginabele isipho esithile somusa sokomoya ukuba niqiniswe, ₁₂okungukuthi siduduzane kanye nani phakathi kwenu ngokukholwa kwethu okwenu nokwami. ₁₃Angithandi, bazalwane, ukuba ningazi ukuthi ngazimisela kaningi ukuza kini, kepha ngathiyeka kuze kube manje ukuba nakini ngibe nezithelo njengakwezinye izizwe.

₁₄Nginecala kumaGreki nakwabezizwe, kwabahlakaniphileyo nakwabangaqondiyo; ₁₅kanjalo mina ngokwami nginesifiso sokushumayela ivangeli nakinina baseRoma.

₁₆Ngokuba anginamahloni ngevangeli; ngokuba lingamandla kaNkulunkulu, kube yinsindiso kulowo nalowo okholwayo, kumJuda kuqala, nakumGreki. ₁₇Ngokuba ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kwambulwa kulo, kuvela ekukholweni, kuyisa ekukholweni, njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: “Olungileyo uzakuphila ngokukholwa.”

₁₈Ngokuba intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu yambulwa ivela ezulwini phezu kwakho konke ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu nokungalungi kwabantu abathiya iqiniso ngokungalungi, ₁₉ngokuba lokho okwazekayo ngoNkulunkulu kusobala phakathi kwabo; ngokuba uNkulunkulu ukubonakalisile kubo. ₂₀Ngokuba okungabonwayo kwakhe, kuthi amandla akhe aphakade nobuNkulunkulu bakhe kubonakala kwasekudalweni kwezwe, ngokuba kuqondakala ngezenzo zakhe, ukuze bangabi nakuzilandulela, ₂₁ngokuba kuthe bemazi uNkulunkulu, kabamdumisanga, kabambonganga njengoNkulunkulu, kodwa balutheka ekuzindleni kwabo; inhliziyo yabo engaqondiyo yaba mnyama. ₂₂Bezisho ukuthi bahlakaniphile baba yiziwula, ₂₃nenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ongabhubhiyo bayiguqula ifane nomfanekiso womuntu obhubhayo, owezinyoni, nowezilwane ezinezinyawo ezine nezinwabuzelayo.

₂₄Ngalokho uNkulunkulu wabanikela ezinkanukweni zezinhliziyo zabo kukho ukungcola, bahlazisane imizimba yabo, ₂₅baguqule iqiniso likaNkulunkulu, balenza amanga; bahlonipha, bakhonza okudaliweyo kunoMdali ongobongekayo kuze kube phakade. Amen.

₂₆Ngenxa yalokho uNkulunkulu wabanikela ekuhuhekeni okuyihlazo; ngokuba abesifazane babo baguqula ukwenza okwemvelo kwaba ngokuphambene nemvelo; ₂₇ngokunjalo nabesilisa bayeka ukwenza kwemvelo kowesifazane, basha ngokukhanukelana, abesilisa benza okuyichilo kwabesilisa, bezitholela umvuzo ofanele ukuduka kwabo.

₂₈Nanjengalokho bengakunakanga ukumazi uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wabanikela engqondweni yokunganaki ukwenza okungafanele, ₂₉begcwele konke ukungalungi, nokonakala, nesangabe, nobubi; begcwele umhawu, nokubulala, nokuphikisana, nenkohliso, nobuqili, nokuhleba; ₃₀beyizinyevuzi, nabazonda uNkulunkulu, nezidlova, nabazidlayo, nabazigabisayo, nabaqambi bokubi, nabangalaleli abazali, ₃₁nabangenangqondo, nabangathembekile, nabangenaluthando, nabangenasihawu, ₃₂abathi besazi isimiso sokulunga sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi abenza okunjalo bafanele ukufa, abenzi lokho kuphela, kodwa babuye bavumelana nabakwenzayo.

₁Ngakho awunakuzilandulela wena muntu, noma ungubani owahlulelayo, ngokuba ngalokho owahlulela ngakho omunye uyazilahla wena, ngokuba wena owahlulelayo uyakwenza khona lokho nawe. ₂Siyazi ukuthi ukwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu ngokweqiniso kubehlela abenza okunjalo. ₃Ucabanga lokho yini wena muntu owahlulela abenza okunjalo, ubukwenza nawe, ukuthi uyakubalekela ukwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu na? ₄Kumbe uyayidelela yini ingcebo yobumnene, neyokubekezela, neyenyewe yakhe, ungazi ukuthi ubumnene bukaNkulunkulu bukuyisa ekuphendukeni na?

₅Kepha ngobulukhuni bakho nangenhliziyo engaphendukiyo uzibekelela ulaka ngosuku lolaka nolokwambulwa kokwahlulela okulungileyo kukaNkulunkulu ₆oyakuvuza yilowo nalowo ngokwemisebenzi yakhe: ₇labo abafuna ngokukhuthazela ekwenzeni okuhle inkazimulo nodumo nokungabhubhi bothola ukuphila okuphakade; ₈kepha labo abanombango bengalaleli iqiniso, belalela ukungalungi, bothola ulaka nentukuthelo. ₉Usizi nokubandezeka kuyakwehlela imiphefumulo yabantu bonke abenza okubi, umJuda kuqala, nomGreki futhi; ₁₀kepha inkazimulo nodumo nokuthula kubo bonke abenza okuhle, kumJuda kuqala, nakumGreki futhi. ₁₁Ngokuba akukho ukukhetha umuntu kuNkulunkulu.

₁₂Ngokuba bonke abonileyo bengenamthetho bayakubhubha bengenamthetho; kepha bonke abonileyo benomthetho bayakwahlulelwa ngomthetho; ₁₃ngokuba akusibo abezwayo umthetho abangabalungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu, kepha abenzayo umthetho yibona abayakulungisiswa. ₁₄Ngokuba nxa abezizwe abangenawo umthetho ngokwemvelo benza okomthetho, laba, bengenawo umthetho, bangumthetho wabo ngokwabo, ₁₅babonakalisa ukuthi umsebenzi womthetho ulotshiwe ezinhliziyweni zabo, nonembeza wabo uyafakaza naye, imicabango yabo imangalelana noma ivunana, ₁₆ngosuku uNkulunkulu ayakwahlulela ngalo okufihliweyo kwabantu ngokwevangeli lami ngoKristu Jesu.

₁₇Kepha uma uthiwa ungumJuda, wethemba umthetho, uzibonga ngoNkulunkulu, ₁₈wazi intando yakhe, ukhetha okungcono, ungofundisiwe emithethweni, ₁₉uzethembile wena ukuthi ungumholi wezimpumputhe, ungukukhanya kwabasebumnyameni, ₂₀umyali weziwula nomfundisi wezingane, unakho ukuma kokwazi nokweqiniso emthethweni, ₂₁wena-ke ofundisa omunye, awuzifundisi wena na? Wena oshumayela ukuthi akungebiwa, uyeba na? ₂₂Wena othi akungaphingwa, uyaphinga na? Wena owenyanya isithombe, uphanga ithempeli na? ₂₃Wena ozibonga ngomthetho, udumaza uNkulunkulu ngokweqa umthetho na? ₂₄Ngokuba igama likaNkulunkulu liyahlanjalazwa phakathi kwabezizwe ngenxa yenu, njengalokho kulotshiwe.

₂₅Ngokuba ukusoka kuyasiza kambe, uma ugcina umthetho; kepha uma ungumeqi womthetho, ukusoka kwakho kuphenduka ukungasoki. ₂₆Ngakho-ke uma ongasokile egcina izimiso zomthetho, ukungasoki kwakhe akuyikubalwa ukuthi kungukusoka na? ₂₇Khona ongasokile ngokwemvelo, egcina umthetho, uzakwahlulela wena othi unombhalo nokusoka, weqe umthetho.

₂₈Ngokuba umJuda kakusiye onguye ngokubonwayo, nokusoka akusikho okubonwa enyameni; ₂₉kodwa umJuda yilowo onguye ngaphakathi, nokusoka kungokwenhliziyo, ngomoya kungengegama, okutuswa kwakhe kungaveli kubantu kepha kuNkulunkulu.

₁Ngalokho kuyini umJuda adlula abanye ngakho na? Kukho, ukusoka kunokusiza kuni na? ₂Kukhulu ngezindlela zonke. Kuqala ngokuba baphathisiwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu.

₃Kunjani pho? Uma abanye bengakholwanga, ukungakholwa kwabo kuyakwenza ize ukukholeka kukaNkulunkulu na? ₄Qha nakanye; kepha makube ngukuthi: UNkulunkulu uqinisile, wonke umuntu ungumqambimanga, njengokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi:

₅Kepha uma ukungalungi kwethu kubonakalisa ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu, siyakuthini na? Imbala uNkulunkulu ungongalungile yini owehlisa ulaka na? Ngikhulumisa okomuntu. ₆Qha nakanye, ngokuba uNkulunkulu uyakulahlulela kanjani izwe, pho, na? ₇Kepha uma iqiniso likaNkulunkulu lavama ngamanga ami, kube yinkazimulo yakhe, ngisahlulelelwani futhi mina njengesoni na? ₈Kungabi ngukuthi, njengalokhu sihlanjalazwayo nanjengalokhu abanye bathi siyasho ukuthi asenze okubi, ukuze kuvele okuhle na? Ukulahlwa kwabo kubafanele.

₉Kunjani kanti? Siyabadlula na? Qha nakanye, ngokuba bese sibamangalele abaJuda namaGreki ngokuthi bonke baphansi kwesono, ₁₀njengokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi:

₁₉Kepha siyazi ukuthi lokhu okushoyo umthetho ukukhuluma kubo abasemthethweni ukuba yonke imilomo ivinjwe, izwe lonke libe necala kuNkulunkulu, ₂₀ngokuba ngemisebenzi yomthetho akukho nyama eyakulungisiswa phambi kwakhe; ngokuba ngomthetho kukhona ukwazi isono.

₂₁Kepha manje kubonakalisiwe ukulunga okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngaphandle komthetho, kufakazelwa ngumthetho nabaprofethi, ₂₂ngisho ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu ngokukholwa nguJesu Kristu kubo bonke abakholwayo; ngokuba akukho mahluko; ₂₃ngokuba bonke bonile, basilalelwe inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu; ₂₄balungisisiwe ngesihle ngomusa wakhe ngokuhlengwa okukuKristu Jesu, ₂₅ammisileyo uNkulunkulu abe yinhlawulo ngokukholwa egazini lakhe, kubonakaliswe ukulunga kwakhe ngokuyekelwa kwezono ezenziwe ngaphambili ₂₆ekubekezeleni kukaNkulunkulu, ukuba kubonakaliswe ukulunga kwakhe esikhathini samanje, ukuze yena abe ngolungileyo, abe ngumlungisisi walowo okholwa nguJesu.

₂₇Ngakho kuphi ukuzibonga na? Kuvalelwe phandle. Ngamthetho muni na? Ngowemisebenzi na? Qhabo, kodwa ngomthetho wokukholwa. ₂₈Ngakho-ke sithi umuntu ulungisiswa ngokukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi yomthetho. ₂₉Kumbe uNkulunkulu ungowabaJuda kuphela na? Kasiye nowabezizwe na? Yebo, nowabezizwe, ₃₀uma impela uNkulunkulu emunye oyakulungisisa abasokileyo ngokukholwa nabangasokile ngokukholwa. ₃₁Ngakho-ke umthetho siwenza ize ngenxa yokukholwa na? Qha nakanye, kodwa siyawuqinisa umthetho.