Ezweni lase-Uze kwakukhona indoda eyayikhonza uJehova. Igama layo kwakunguJobe. Wayecebile futhi enomndeni omkhulu. Wayenomusa, esiza abantu abahluphekile, abafelokazi nezintandane. Kodwa ingabe wayengeke abe nezinkinga ngenxa yokuthi wayenza okulungile?

Kungenzeka ukuthi uJobe wayengazi kodwa uSathane uDeveli wayembhekile. UJehova wathi kuSathane: ‘Ingabe umbonile uJobe inceku yami? Akekho onjengaye emhlabeni. Uyangilalela futhi wenza okulungile.’ USathane waphendula: ‘Vele uyakulalela uJobe. Ngoba uyamvikela futhi uyambusisa. Umnike indawo eningi nemfuyo. Kuthathe konke, uzobona uzoyeka ukukukhonza.’ UJehova wathi: ‘Ungamvivinya uJobe. Kodwa ungambulali.’ Kungani uJehova avumela uSathane wavivinya uJobe? Wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uJobe ngeke ayeke ukumkhonza.

USathane wabe esevivinya uJobe ngezinto eziningi ezibuhlungu. Okokuqala, wathumela abantu ababizwa ngokuthi amaSabheya ukuba bebe izinkomo nezimbongolo zikaJobe. Okwesibili, zonke izimvu zikaJobe zashiswa umlilo. Okwesithathu, elinye iqembu labantu, ababizwa ngokuthi amaKhaledi, leba amakamela akhe. Izinceku ezazilusa leyo mfuyo zabulawa. Kwabe sekulandela inhlekelele embi kunazo zonke. Zonke izingane zikaJobe zafa ngesikhathi indlu ezazinedili kuyo iwela phezu kwazo. UJobe wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu kodwa akazange ayeke ukukhonza uJehova.

USathane wayefuna ukuzwisa uJobe ubuhlungu obukhulu kunalobu.  Ngakho wabangela ukuba uJobe amile amathumba abuhlungu emzimbeni wonke. Wayengazi ukuthi kungani kwenzeka zonke lezi zinto kuyena. Noma kunjalo, uJobe waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova. UNkulunkulu wayekubona konke lokhu futhi wayeziqhenya ngoJobe.

Ngemva kwalokho, uSathane wathumela amadoda amathathu ukuba avivinye uJobe. Athi kuye: ‘Kumelwe ukuba wonile futhi wasifihla isono sakho. UNkulunkulu uyakujezisa.’ UJobe wathi: ‘Akukho okubi engikwenzile.’ Kodwa wabe eseqala ukucabanga ukuthi uJehova obangele lezi zinkinga futhi wathi akanabulungisa.

Insizwa ebizwa ngokuthi u-Elihu yayiyilalele le ingxoxo. Yabe isiqala ukukhuluma yathi: ‘Konke lokho enikushilo akulona iqiniso. UJehova mkhulu kakhulu kunalokho esingakuqonda. Akasoze enza into engalungile. Ubona yonke into futhi uyabasiza abantu abanezinkinga.’

UJehova wabe esekhuluma noJobe. Wathi: ‘Wawukuphi lapho ngidala izulu nomhlaba? Kungani uthi anginabo ubulungisa? Uyakhuluma kodwa awazi ukuthi kungani lezi zinto zenzeka.’ UJobe walivuma iphutha lakhe, wathi: ‘Benginephutha. Ngizwile ngawe kodwa manje sengiyakwazi ngempela. Ayikho into ongeke ukwazi ukuyenza. Ngiyaxolisa ngalokho engikushilo.’

Lapho uvivinyo seluphelile, uJehova wamelapha uJobe futhi wamnika izinto eziningi kakhulu kunalezo ayenazo. UJobe waphila isikhathi eside ejabule. UJehova wambusisa uJobe ngoba wamlalela ngisho noma kwakunzima. Ingabe nawe uzofana noJobe futhi uqhubeke ukhonza uJehova, ngisho noma kunzima?