1. Wayesethatha u-Elifazi umThemani, wathi:
2. "Ohlakaniphileyo uyakuphendula ngokwazi okungumoya nje, agcwalise isisu ngomoya wasempumalanga, na?
3. Aphikisane ngamazwi angasizi lutho nangezinkulumo ezingenalusizo na?
4. Yebo, uyachitha ukwesaba, unciphisa ukuzindla phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
5. Ngokuba ububi bakho buyafundisa umlomo wakho; ukhetha ulimi lwabanobuqili.
6. Ngumlomo wakho okulahlayo, akusimi; izindebe zakho ziyafakaza ngawe.
7. Ungumuntu wokuqala owazalwayo na? Wavela ngaphambi kwezintaba na?
8. Uzwile imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu, wazigodlela wedwa ukuhlakanipha na?
9. Wazini esingayazi thina na? Uqonda ntoni engekho kithina na?
10. Kithina kukhona izimpunga namakhehla amadala kunoyihlo.
11. Zincane yini kuwe izinduduzo zikaNkulunkulu, nezwi elikhulunywa kahle kuwe na?
12. Umukiselwani yinhliziyo yakho na? Kungani ukuba amehlo akho aphayizele,
13. uphendulele kuNkulunkulu ukufutheka kwakho, ukhiphe amazwi emlonyeni wakho na?
14. Uyini umuntu ukuba abe ngohlambulukileyo, nozelwe ngowesifazane ukuba alungisiswe, na?
15. Bheka, nabangcwele bakhe akabethembi, nezulu alihlambulukile emehlweni akhe;
16. kakhulu kangakanani onengekayo nowonakeleyo, umuntu ophuza ukona njengamanzi, na?
17. "Ngiyakukwazisa, ungilalele; ngiyakukulandisa engikubonileyo
18. lokho izihlakaniphi ezikubonakalisile, zikuthathe koyise, zingakufihlanga,
19. zona ezaphiwa zodwa izwe, kungadabulanga kuzo umfokazi ngokuthi:
20. Umuntu omubi uyazibinya imihla yonke, umumo weminyaka othukuselwe isidlwangudlwangu.
21. Izwi lengebhe lisezindlebeni zakhe; lapho ehlezi kahle, uyakufikelwa ngumphangi.
22. Akethembi ukuthi uyakubuya ebumnyameni; uyalindelwa yinkemba.
23. Uyazulazulela ukudla: kuphi na? Uyazi ukuthi usuku lobumnyama selungasesandleni sakhe.
24. Ukuhlupheka nosizi kuyamethusa; kuyamahlula njengenkosi ezilungiselele impi,
25. ngokuba waselulela isandla sakhe kuNkulunkulu, wazigabisa kuSomandla.
26. Wamdumela ngentamo elukhuni, nangamaqhubu adumbileyo amahawu akhe,
27. ngokuba wasibekela ubuso bakhe ngamafutha akhe, wenza umvingqi okhalweni lwakhe.
28. Wahlala emizini ebiyakuchithwa, nasezindlini ebezingahlalwa, ezaziyakuba ngamanxiwa nje.
29. Akayikuceba, nemfuyo yakhe ayiyikuma, nokudla kwakhe akuyikukhothamela phansi.
30. Akayikusuka ebumnyameni; ilangabi liyakushisa amagatsha akhe, amuke ngokuphefumula komlomo kaNkulunkulu.
31. Makangethembi ezeni, ezikhohlisa, ngokuba ize liyakuba ngumvuzo wakhe.
32. Kuyakufezwa kungakabi yisikhathi, negatsha lakhe alisayikuba luhlaza.
33. Uyakuvuthulula igwanya lakhe njengomvini, alahle imbali yakhe njengomnqumo.
34. Ngokuba ibandla labangenaNkulunkulu liyakuba yinyumba, umlilo uqede amatende abathengwa ngemivuzo.
35. Bakhulelwe ingozi, bazala ukona; isisu sabo silungisela inkohliso."
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