1 Wasephendula u-Elifazi umThemani wathi:
2 “Kambe indoda ehlakaniphileyo ingaphendula ngeze nje
3 Ingadaza inkani ngamazwi angatsho lutho,
4 Wena uze weyise ukulunga
5 Isono sakho sikhuthaza umlomo wakho;
6 Umlomo wakho yiwo okulahlayo, hatshi owami;
7 Nguwe yini umuntu wokuqala ukuzalwa?
8 Uyake ulalele yini enkundleni kaNkulunkulu?
9 Kuyini okwaziyo wena thina esingakwaziyo?
10 Asebezimpunga lamakhehla bavumelana lathi,
11 Induduzo zikaNkulunkulu kazikwanelisi yini,
12 Kungani uvumela ukufuqwa yinhliziyo na,
13 uze ubhodlise ulaka lwakho kuNkulunkulu
14 Umuntu uyini ukuthi abe ngohlanzekileyo na,
15 Nxa uNkulunkulu engazethembi izingilosi zakhe,
16 pho umuntu ongcolileyo ke, oxhwalileyo,
17 Lalela kimi ngikuchazele;
18 lokho osekwafakazwa yizihlakaniphi,
19 (abayibo kuphela abaphiwa ilizwe
20 Ngezinsuku zakhe zonke umuntu omubi uhlutshwa yizinhlungu,
21 Imisindo eyesabisayo iyagcwala ezindlebeni zakhe;
22 Ulahlekelwa lithemba lokuwuphepha umnyama;
23 Uyantula nje abe yikudla kwamanqe;
24 Usizi lobuhlungu emoyeni bumlethela uvalo;
25 ngoba efumbathele uNkulunkulu inqindi,
26 aqholoze amhlasele
27 Lanxa ezimuke ubuso bungaka,
28 uzahlala emadolobheni angamanxiwa
29 Kasayikunotha futhi lenotho yakhe kayiyikuma,
30 Kayikuphepha emnyameni;
31 Makangazikhohlisi ngokuthemba okuyize,
32 Singakapheli isikhathi sakhe uzajeziswa,
33 Uzaba njengevini eliphundlwe izithelo zalo zingakavuthwa,
34 Ngoba ixuku labangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu kalizukuba lezithelo,
35 Bazithwala uhlupho babelethe ububi;