1U-Elifazi umThemani, waphendula, wathi:
2“Uma umuntu ezama ukukhuluma nawe, uzokhathazeka yini na? Ngubani ongazibamba angasho lutho na?
3Yebo, ubafundisile abaningi, waqinisa izandla ezintekenteke.
4Amazwi akho aphakamisa okhubekayo, aqinisa amadolo antekenteke naxegayo.
5“Uma sekufike kuwe, awusenasineke. Uma sekuthinta wena uyadangala.
6Ukwesaba kwakho uNkulunkulu akusilo yini ithemba lakho, nokwethembeka kwezindlela zakho, akusiso yini isisekelo sakho na?
7Ake ukhumbule ukuthi ngubani owake wabhujiswa engenacala na? Babhujiswa kuphi abalungileyo na?
8Ngibabonile abahlwanyela inkohlakalo, nabalima inkathazo, bavuna inhlupheko.
9Ngokuphephetha kukaNkulunkulu bayabhubha, ngomoya wentukuthelo yakhe, bayashabalala.
10Ukubhodla kwengonyama, nomsindo webhubesi, kuyathula, namazinyo amabhongo amabhubesi ayephuka.
11Ibhubesi elinamandla liyafa ngenxa yokweswela impango, amawundlu ebhubesi ayahlakazeka.
12“Izwi lafika isinyenyela kimi, indlebe yami yezwa ukunyenyeza kwalo.
13Phakathi kwemicabango yemibono yasebusuku, lapho abantu sebehlelwe ngubuthongo obunzima,
14ngafikelwa yingebhe nokuthuthumela okwaqhaqhazelisa wonke amathambo ami.
15Kwedlula umoya ebusweni bami, waqubula uhlevane esikhumbeni sami.
16Kwema kwathi phuhle, kodwa angikwazanga ukubona isimo sakho. Kwakumi okuthile phambi kwami, ngezwa ukunyenyeza nezwi, lithi:
17‘Umuntu angalunga yini kunoNkulunkulu na? Umuntu uhlambulukile yini kunoMenzi wakhe na?
18Bheka, akethembi ngisho izinceku zakhe, nezingelosi zakhe uzibeka icala.
19Kakhulu kangakanani-ke labo abahlezi ezindlini zodaka, abasisekelo sabo sisothulini, abachotshozwa njengenundu na?
20Kusukela ekuseni kuze kube kusihlwa bayagxotshwa, bayabhubha kuze kube phakade kungekho nonake utho ngabo.
21Intambo yethende labo ayibhonculiwe yini kubo, futhi bafe bengenakho ukuhlakanipha na?’ ”