Ekugcineni, inkukhu yayisinqunywe umlomo kula madoda. Mhlawumbe okuwukuphela komsinjwana owawuzwakala kwakuwumoya oshisayo ovela ehlane lase-Arabhiya. UJobe wayesephelelwe amazwi, ekhathele ngemva kwempikiswano ende. Mbone ngeso lengqondo egqolozele abangani bakhe abathathu, u-Elifazi, uBhilidadi noSofari—njengokungathi uthi, khulumani phela! Kodwa babengakwazi nokumbuka, becasulwe ukuthi amazwi abo ahlakaniphile, “awumoya” nezinto ezimbi ababezishilo azizange ziphumelele. (Jobe 16:3, umbhalo waphansi) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJobe wayezimisele nakakhulu ukuvikela ubuqotho bakhe.

 Kungenzeka ukuthi uJobe wayenomuzwa wokuthi wayesesele nobuqotho kuphela. Wayelahlekelwe ingcebo yakhe, izingane zakhe, ukusekelwa nokuhlonishwa abangani nomakhelwane, ekugcineni wangenwa isifo. Isikhumba sakhe sase simnyama ngenxa yesifo, sesinoqweqwe, sihanjwa nayizimpethu. Ngisho nomlomo wakhe wawusunuka. (Jobe 7:5; 19:17; 30:30) Nokho, ukuhlasela kwala madoda amathathu kwenza uJobe wacasuka kakhulu. Wayezimisele ukubonisa ukuthi wayengesona lesi soni ababethi uyiso. Inkulumo yokugcina kaJobe yayisanda kubavala umlomo. Ngemva kokusho izinto eziningi ezibuhlungu kuJobe, babengasenakho abazokusho. Noma kunjalo, uJobe wayesabuzwa ubuhlungu. Wayesaludinga ngokuphuthumayo usizo!

 Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani ukucabanga kukaJobe kwakusontekile. Wayedinga isiqondiso nokulungiswa. Wayedinga nenduduzo yangempela, zona kanye izinto abangani bakhe abathathu okwakufanele bamnike zona kodwa bahluleka. Wake waba nomuzwa wokuthi udinga isiqondiso nenduduzo? Wake wadunyazwa abantu owawucabanga ukuthi bangabangani bakho? Ukufunda ngendlela uJehova uNkulunkulu asiza ngayo inceku yakhe uJobe nendlela uJobe asabela ngayo kungakusiza, kukunike nethemba.

 Kube sekwenzeka into emangalisayo kule ndaba. Kwakunomunye umuntu eduzane, insizwa okuthiwa u-Elihu. Wayelokhu ekhona sonke lesi sikhathi, ethule elalele la madoda amadala ephikisana. Akumthokozisanga neze lokho ayekuzwa.

 U-Elihu wayemthukuthelele uJobe. Wazizwa ephoxekile lapho ebona ukuthi uJobe uvumela ukucindezelwa yila madoda amathathu aze azame “ukuzibonakalisa elungile kunokuba athi nguNkulunkulu olungile.” Noma kunjalo, u-Elihu wayemzwela ngempela uJobe—wayebubona ubuhlungu ayekubo, ubuqotho bakhe nesidingo esiphuthumayo sokuba athole iseluleko esinomusa nenduduzo. Akumangazi ukuthi kungani u-Elihu aphelelwa isineke ngalaba baduduzi mbumbulu abathathu! Wayelalele lapho behlasela uJobe, bebukela phansi ukholo lwakhe, isithunzi sakhe nobuqotho bakhe. Okubi nakakhulu, amazwi abo asontekile ayeveza uNkulunkulu njengokhohlakele. U-Elihu wayesha amashushu efuna ukukhuluma!—Jobe 32:2-4, 18.

 U-Elihu wathi: “Mina ngimncane, nina madoda nibadala. Ngenxa yalokho nginihloniphile ngazibamba, futhi angizange ngilokothe nginitshele engikwaziyo.” Kodwa wayengasakwazi ukuthula. Waqhubeka wathi: “Iminyaka nje iyodwa ayimenzi umuntu ahlakaniphe, futhi akubona abantu abadala kuphela abaqonda ukuthi yini elungile.” (Jobe 32:6, 9) U-Elihu wabe esekhuluma isikhathi eside, ukuze aveze la mazwi njengayiqiniso. Wakhuluma ngendlela ehlukile noJobe kunendlela u-Elifazi, uBhilidadi noSofari abakhuluma ngayo. U-Elihu waqinisekisa uJobe ngokuthi wayengeke ambukele phansi noma amenze azizwe ecindezeleke nakakhulu. Wambonisa inhlonipho, wambiza ngegama futhi wavuma ukuthi wayephathwe ngendelelo. a Ngenhlonipho wathi: “Kodwa manje Jobe, ngicela uzwe amazwi ami.”—Jobe 33:1, 7; 34:7.

 U-Elihu wanika uJobe iseluleko esiqinile: “Uthe ezindlebeni zami, . . . ‘Ngimsulwa, anginaseqo; ngihlanzekile, anginasiphambeko. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyazithola izizathu zokumelana nami.’” U-Elihu wabe eseveza okwakuyinkinga yangempela kaJobe ngokubuza: “Ingabe ngempela ucabanga ukuthi ulungile kangangokuba uze uthi, ‘Ngilunge ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu’?” Wayengeke avumele uJobe aqhubeke ecabanga ngale ndlela. Le nsizwa yathi: “Awukhulumi iqiniso uma usho lokho.” (Jobe 33:8-12; 35:2) U-Elihu wayazi ukuthi uJobe wayedinwe kakhulu ngenxa yalokho okwakumlahlekele kanye nokuphathwa kabi abantu ayecabanga ukuthi abangani bakhe. U-Elihu waxwayisa uJobe: “Qaphela ukuba ulaka lungakuholeli ekubeni nonya.”—Jobe 36:18.

 Okubaluleke nakakhulu, u-Elihu wavikela igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngamazwi alula kodwa anamandla wachaza iphuzu elibalulekile: “UNkulunkulu weqiniso akakucabangi nokukucabanga ukwenza okubi, uMninimandla Onke akakucabangi ukwenza okungalungile! . . . UMninimandla Onke akabuhlanekezeli ubulungisa.” (Jobe 34:10, 12) U-Elihu wasiza uJobe wabona ukuthi uJehova unobulungisa, wamkhumbuza ukuthi uJehova akazange amjezise ngenxa yamazwi abuhlungu nangenanhlonipho awasho. (Jobe 35:13-15) Kunokuba enze sengathi wazi yonke into, u-Elihu ngokuthobeka wavuma: “UNkulunkulu mkhulu kunalokho esingase sikwazi.”—Jobe 36:26.

 Nakuba iseluleko sika-Elihu sasingagunci, sasinomusa. Wakhuluma ngethemba elihle lokuthi uJehova wayeyophinde enze uJobe alulame. UNkulunkulu wayengasho la mazwi ngenceku yakhe ethembekile: “Inyama yakhe mayibe ntsha kunasebusheni; makabuyele ezinsukwini zobungqabavu bobusha bakhe.” Esinye isenzo esinomusa u-Elihu asenza ukucela uJobe aveze uvo lwakhe, kunokuba amtshele ukuthi enzeni nje kuphela. Wathi: “Khuluma, ngoba ngifuna ukuveza ukuthi ulungile.” (Jobe 33:25, 32) Kodwa uJobe akazange aphendule. Mhlawumbe akazange asibone isidingo sokuzivikela ngoba iseluleko sika-Elihu sasinomusa futhi sikhuthaza. Kungenzeka uJobe wakhala izinyembezi lapho ebona ukuthi u-Elihu umkhathalela ngempela.

 Kukhulu esingakufunda kula madoda amabili athembekile. Ku-Elihu sifunda ukuthi singabeluleka futhi sibaduduze kanjani labo abadinga induduzo neseluleko. Umngani weqiniso ngeke ayeke ukukubonisa iphutha noma ukukubonisa ukuthi izenzo zakho zingakuholela engozini. (IzAga 27:6) Sifuna ukuba umngani onjalo, sihlale sinomusa futhi sibe isikhuthazo kulabo abasosizini, ngisho noma bekhuluma amazwi ahlabayo. Lapho kuyithina esidinga iseluleko esinjalo, isibonelo sikaJobe sisikhumbuza ukuthi kufanele sisilalele ngokuthobeka iseluleko kunokuba sisenqabe. Sonke siyasidinga iseluleko nesiqondiso. Ukusamukela kungasindisa ukuphila kwethu.—IzAga 4:13.

 Njengoba u-Elihu ayekhuluma, wayedamane ebhekisela emoyeni, emafwini, ekudumeni nasembanini. Ekhuluma ngoJehova wathi: “Kulaleleni ngokucophelela ukugwavuma kwezwi lakhe.” Ngemva kwesikhashana wakhuluma ‘ngesivunguvungu somoya.’ (Jobe 37:2, 9) Kubonakala sengathi njengoba ayekhuluma, izulu lalihloma, liya ligqunqa liba mnyama. Kwagcina sekuyisivunguvungu esinamandla. Kwabe sekwenzeka isimanga sezimanga. Kwakhuluma uJehova!—Jobe 38:1.

 Lapho ufunda incwadi kaJobe, kuba yinjabulo ukufunda lezi zahluko ezimnandi eziqukethe lokho uJehova akusho kuye. Kunjengokungathi isivunguvungu siphephula yonke le ndavundavu ka-Elifazi, uBhilidadi noSofari. UJehova akazange akhulume nala madoda kwaze kwaba esinye isikhathi. Wayegxile kuJobe kuphela, wayilungisa ngokuqinile inceku yakhe ayithandayo njengoba nje ubaba engalungisa indodana yakhe.

 UJehova wayebazi ubuhlungu uJobe ayebhekene nabo. Wazwelana naye njengoba nje ehlale enza lapho izingane zakhe azithandayo zisebunzimeni. (Isaya 63:9; Zakariya 2:8) Wayazi nokuthi uJobe ‘wayekhulume engenalwazi,’ wenza izinkinga zakhe zaba zimbi nakakhulu. Ngakho uJehova walungisa uJobe ngokumbuza imibuzo eminingi. Waqale wathi: “Wawukuphi lapho ngakha isisekelo somhlaba? Ngitshele uma ucabanga ukuthi uyaqonda.” Ekuqaleni kokudalwa, “izinkanyezi zasekuseni,” umndeni wezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu, zamemeza ngenjabulo zihalalisa ngenxa yezimangaliso zendalo. (Jobe 38:2, 4, 7) UJobe wayengazi lutho ngalokhu.

 UJehova wabe esekhuluma ngendalo yakhe. Kufana nokuthi wachazela kancane uJobe ngezifundo namhlanje esizibiza ngokuthi isayensi, wakhuluma ngesayensi yezinkanyezi, isayensi yezinto eziphilayo, isayensi yokwakheka komhlaba kanye nesayensi yemvelo. Ngokukhethekile uJehova wakhuluma ngezilwane eziningana ezazitholakala lapho uJobe ayehlala khona—ibhubesi, igwababa, imbuzi yentaba, imbongolo yesendle, inkunzi yasendle, intshe, ihhashi, uheshe, ukhozi, uBhehemoti (kubonakala sengathi imvubu) okokugcina uLeviyathani (cishe ingwenya). Cabanga nje ngelungelo lokuba sekilasini lesayensi elifundiswa uMdali wendawo yonke! b

 Sasiyini isizathu sakho konke lokhu? UJobe kwakudingeka afunde ukuthobeka ngokwengeziwe. Ngokukhononda ngalokho ayecabanga ukuthi ukuphathwa kabi uJehova, uJobe wayezandisela ubuhlungu, eziqhelisa kuBaba wakhe onothando. Ngakho, uJehova wabuza uJobe ephindelela ukuthi wayekuphi lapho edala izimangaliso zendalo, nokuthi wayengakwazi yini ukondla nokulawula izidalwa ayezidalile. Uma uJobe ayehluleka ngisho nokuqonda indlela uJehova ayedale ngayo izinto, wayengalokotha kanjani ahlulele uMdali? Izindlela zikaJehova nemicabango yakhe yayingaphakeme yini ngaphezu kwalokho uJobe ayekwazi?

 Konke lokho uJehova akusho kwakuhambisana nothando olujulile ngoJobe. Kunjengokungathi uJehova wayebonisana noJobe ethi: ‘Ndodana, uma ngikwazi ukudala nokunakekela zonke lezi zinto, ucabanga ukuthi ngingahluleka ngempela ukukunakekela? Ucabanga ukuthi ngingakulahla ngempela, ngikuphuce izingane zakho, izinto onazo, ngikwenze ugule? Ukhona yini omunye ongakubuyisela izinto ezikulahlekele, apholise nobuhlungu obuzwayo ngaphandle kwami?’

 UJobe wayiphendula kabili nje kuphela imibuzo kaJehova eyayimenza acabange. Akazange aphikisane noJehova, azithethelele noma abeke izaba. Ngokuthobeka wavuma ukuthi kuncane ayekwazi, wawahoxisa amazwi akhe ayewasho engacabangile. (Jobe 40:4, 5; 42:1-6) Kule ndaba, sibona isibonelo esihle sokholo lukaJobe. Kukho konke lokhu ayedlule kukho, waqhubeka eyindoda enokholo oluqinile. Wakwamukela ukulungiswa uJehova, walungisa nendlela ayecabanga ngayo. Ngakho singase sizibuze lo mbuzo wokuzihlola, ‘Ingabe ngithobeke ngokwanele ukuba ngamukele ukulungiswa neseluleko?’ Sonke siyaludinga usizo olunjalo. Lapho silwamukela, sisuke silingisa ukholo lukaJobe.

 Manje uJehova uthatha isinyathelo sokududuza uJobe osizini lwakhe. Ekhuluma no-Elifazi, okungenzeka wayemdala kulaba baduduzi mbumbulu, uJehova wathi: “Wena nabangane bakho ababili nginithukuthelele ngiyangqangqa, ngoba anilikhulumanga iqiniso ngami njengoba kwenze inceku yami uJobe.” (Jobe 42:7) Cabanga nje ngalawo mazwi. Ingabe uJehova wayesho ukuthi konke okwakushiwo yilawo madoda amathathu kwakungamanga noma konke okwakushiwo uJobe kwakuyiqiniso? Cha akunjalo. c Noma kunjalo, kwakunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kukaJobe nabamangaleli bakhe. UJobe wayephuke inhliziyo, ecwile osizini, elinyazwe amanga ababemmangalele ngawo. Ngakho, kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani ayengabuye akhulume engacabanganga ngezinye izikhathi. Kodwa u-Elifazi nabangani bakhe ababili babengazange babhekane nezimo uJobe ayebhekane nazo. Ngenxa yokuthi babenokholo olubuthaka futhi beqhosha, bazisho ngamabomu izinto ezihlukumezayo. Abazange bagcine nje ngokuhlasela indoda elungile, okubi nakakhulu, bammelela kabi uJehova, bamenza uNkulunkulu onesihluku nokhohlakele!

 Shono nje uJehova athi la madoda awakhokhe. Kwakudingeka anikele umhlatshelo oyizinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa—kwakungeyona into encane lena ngoba kamuva uMthetho KaMose wathi umpristi ophakeme kwakufanele athathe inkunzi enze ngayo umhlatshelo uma isono sakhe silethe icala phezu kwesizwe. (Levitikusi 4:3) Kwakuyisilwane esibiza kunazo zonke ezazenziwa imihlatshelo ngaphansi kwalowo Mthetho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wathi uyokwamukela umnikelo wabamangaleli bakaJobe kuphela uma uJobe ezobathandazela kuqala. d (Jobe 42:8) Yeka ukuthi kumele ukuba kwayithoba kanjani inhliziyo kaJobe ukukhulunyelwa uNkulunkulu wakhe nokubona ubulungisa bukaJehova bunqoba!

 UJehova wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJobe wayezokwenza njengoba eshilo, athethelele lawo madoda ayemzwise ubuhlungu obukhulu. UJobe akazange amdumaze uBaba wakhe. (Jobe 42:9) Ukulalela kwakhe kwaba ubufakazi obukhulu kakhulu bobuqotho bakhe, ukwedlula ukusho ngomlomo. Lokho kulalela kwakhe kwamvulela indlela yokuthola izibusiso eziningi.

 UJehova wabonisa uJobe ‘uthando olukhulu nesihe.’ (Jakobe 5:11) Wambonisa kanjani? UJehova wamelapha uJobe. Cabanga nje ukuthi uJobe wazizwa kanjani lapho eqaphela ukuthi inyama yakhe ngempela yaba ‘yintsha kunasebusheni’ njengoba u-Elihu ayeshilo! Ekugcineni umndeni nabangani bamsekela, bamzwela, bamupha nezipho. UJehova wambuyisela ingcebo yakhe uJobe, wamenza waba nezinto eziphindwe kabili kunayekade enazo. Kuthiwani ngesilonda esikhulu kakhulu ayenaso—ukushonelwa izingane zakhe? UJobe nomkakhe bathi ukududuzeka kancane lapho sebethole izingane ezengeziwe eziyishumi! Ngokuyisimangaliso, uJehova wabuye wandisa izinsuku zokuphila kukaJobe. Waphila eminye iminyaka engu-140, waze wakwazi ukubona izizukulwane zakhe ezine. Siyafunda: “Ekugcineni uJobe wafa, ngemva kokuphila isikhathi eside ukuphila okwanelisayo.” (Jobe 42:10-17) EPharadesi uJobe nomkakhe amthandayo bayohlangana nomndeni wabo, ohlanganisa nezingane eziyishumi ezabulawa uSathane.—Johane 5:28, 29.

 Kungani uJehova ambusisa kangaka uJobe? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Nizwile ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe.” (Jakobe 5:11) UJobe wakhuthazelela ubunzima okungekho muntu kithi ongabucabanga. Igama elithi “khuthazela” lisitshela ukuthi uJobe wenza okungaphezu nje kokunqoba lolo vivinyo. Wakhuthazela, ukholo lwakhe nothando lwakhe ngoJehova lwahlala luqinile. Kunokuba abe umuntu olukhuni nonenzondo, wayekulungele ukuxolela ngisho nalabo ababemzwise ubuhlungu ngamabomu. Akazange alikhohlwe ithemba lakhe eliyigugu, noma imfanelo yakhe eyigugu, ubuqotho bakhe.—Jobe 27:5.

 Ngamunye kithi kumele akhuthazele. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uSathane uzozama ukusidikibalisa njengoba enza kuJobe. Kodwa uma sikhuthazela sinokholo, sithobekile, sikulungele ukuxolela abanye futhi sizimisele ukuhlala siqotho, nathi singabambelela ethembeni lethu eliyigugu. (Hebheru 10:36) Ayikho into engacasula uSathane ngesikhathi esifanayo ijabulise inhliziyo kaJehova ngaphezu kokulingisa ukholo lukaJobe!