Wahlala phansi obhuqwini, umzimba wakhe ugcwele amathumba, noma izilonda, kusukela ekhanda kuya ematheni onyawo. Mbone ngeso lengqondo, ugobise ikhanda, amahlombe ashone phansi, uyedwa, akanawo amandla okuphebeza izimpukane ezilokhu zibhuza eduze kwakhe. Uhleli emlotheni ukuze abonise usizi lwakhe, into nje akwazi ukuyenza ukuzinwaya isikhumba esinezilonda ngodengezi. Wayelahlekelwe yikho konke, engasenalutho! Wayesejikelwe abangani, omakhelwane nezihlobo. Abantu base bemhleka, ehlekwa nayizingane. Wayecabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, naye wayesemjikele, kodwa wayeshaye phansi.—Jobe 2:8; 19:18, 22.

 KwakunguJobe lowo. UNkulunkulu wathi ngaye: ‘Akekho ofana naye emhlabeni.’ (Jobe 1:8) Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, uJehova wayesabheka uJobe njengenye yamadoda alungile ake aphila.—Hezekeli 14:14, 20.

 Ingabe ubhekene nezimo ezinzima? Indaba kaJobe ingakududuza kakhulu. Ingakwenza uqonde nemfanelo edingwa yizo zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile—ubuqotho. Abantu batshengisa ubuqotho lapho bezinikela ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu kangangokuba baqhubeke benza intando yakhe ngisho noma bebhekene nobunzima. Masivumele uJobe asifundise okwengeziwe.

 Kubonakala sengathi ngemva kwesikhathi esithile uJobe afa, uMose othembekile wabhala indaba yokuphila kukaJobe. Ephefumulelwe, uMose akagcinanga nje ngokubhala izinto ezazenzeka emhlabeni ezazithinta uJobe, kodwa wabhala nezinto ezazenzeka ezulwini.

 Ekuqaleni kwale ndaba, sifunda ukuthi uJobe wayephila ukuphila okwanelisayo nokujabulisayo. Wayephila kahle, edumile, ehlonishwa ezweni lase-Uzi—okungenzeka lalisenyakatho ye-Arabhiya. Wayenesandla esivulekile kwabaswele, esekela evikela nabantu abangakwazi ukuzivikela. UJobe nomkakhe babebusiswe ngezingane eziyishumi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayesondelene noNkulunkulu. Wayezama ukujabulisa uJehova njengoba kwakwenze izihlobo zakhe u-Abrahama, u-Isaka, uJakobe noJosefa. Njengalezo zinhloko zemindeni, uJobe wayeba njengompristi emndenini wakhe, evame ukunikela imihlatshelo, enikelela izingane zakhe.—Jobe 1:1-5; 31:16-22.

 Kungalindelekile, indaba kaJobe iyashintsha. Sibe sesifunda izinto ezazenzeka ezulwini, izinto uJobe ayengeke azazi. Izingelosi zikaJehova ezithembekile zazimi phambi kwakhe, kwangena nengelosi eyisihlubuki, uSathane. UJehova wayazi ukuthi uSathane akayithandi indoda elungile uJobe, ngakho uNkulunkulu wakhuluma noSathane ngobuqotho bukaJobe obuvelele. USathane waphendula: “Ukube uJobe akatholanga lutho, ubezomesaba yini uNkulunkulu? Awuzange yini umbiyele yena nendlu yakhe nakho konke anakho?” USathane uyabazonda abantu abaqotho. Lapho bebonisa ukuzinikela ngenhliziyo yonke kuJehova uNkulunkulu, badalula uSathane ukuthi ungumuntu omubi ongathandi muntu. USathane wagomela ngokuthi uJobe ukhonza uNkulunkulu ngoba ezozuza okuthile. Wagomela nangokuthi uma uJobe ayengalahlekelwa yikho konke, wayezomthuka uJehova!—Jobe 1:6-11.

 UJehova wayenikeze uJobe ilungelo elikhulu lokufakazela ukuthi uSathane unamanga kodwa uJobe yena wayengazi. USathane wavunyelwa ukuba aphuce uJobe konke ayenakho. NguJobe kuphela ayengavunyelwe ukumlimaza. Ngakho uSathane waqala umsebenzi wakhe wokukhohlakala. Ngosuku olulodwa uJobe wehlelwa izenzakalo ezibuhlungu. Wathola imibiko elandelanayo ethi imfuyo yakhe—ehlanganisa izinkomo nezimbongolo, izimvu namakamela—yayisibulawe ngokuphazima kweso. Okubi nakakhulu, abelusi bayo nabo babulawa. Inceku yaletha umbiko kuJobe othi “umlilo kaNkulunkulu,” okwakungenzeka ukuthi umbani, wawubulale izimvu nezinceku. Esazama ukuqonda konke okwakumehlele noma ukuhlupheka ayesebhekene nakho, wehlelwa yinto embi nakakhulu. Izingane zakhe eziyishumi zazihlangene ndawonye emzini wezibulo lapho kungazelelwe kufika isiphepho sishaya indlu, siyibhidliza sibabulala bonke!—Jobe 1:12-19.

 Kunzima ukucabanga ukuthi uJobe wayezizwa kanjani. Waklebhula izingubo zakhe, wagunda izinwele, wawela phansi. UJobe waphetha ngokuthi uNkulunkulu umphile nokuthi uNkulunkulu uthathile. Ngempela uSathane wayenze kwabukeka sengathi zonke lezo zinhlekelele zazivela kuNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, uJobe akazange amthuke uNkulunkulu njengoba uSathane ayeshilo. Kunalokho, uJobe wathi: “Maliqhubeke lidunyiswa igama likaJehova.”—Jobe 1:20-22.

 USathane wacasuka futhi akazange adele. Waphinde waya phambi kukaJehova kanye nezingelosi. UJehova waphinde wabuncoma ubuqotho bukaJobe abugcina naphezu kwakho konke ukuhlasela kukaSathane. USathane wathi: “Isikhumba ngesikhumba. Umuntu uyokhipha konke anakho ngenxa yokuphila kwakhe. Kodwa manje ake welule isandla sakho umzwise ubuhlungu emzimbeni, nakanjani uzokuthuka ebusweni bakho.” USathane wayeqiniseka ukuthi uma uJobe ayengagula kakhulu, wayeyomthuka uNkulunkulu. UJehova wayemethemba ngokuphelele uJobe, ngakho wavumela uSathane ukuba amenze agule—uma nje uSathane engambulalanga uJobe.—Jobe 2:1-6.

 Manje uJobe wayesesesimweni esichazwe esigabeni sokuqala. Awucabange umkaJobe bandla. Wayevele ezwa ubuhlungu bokushonelwa izingane zakhe eziyishumi, manje kwase kudingeka abuke umyeni wakhe esosizini olukhulu engeke akwazi ukumsiza! UmkaJobe wayephatheke kabi, wayesethi: “Namanje usanamathele ngokuqinile ebuqothweni bakho? Thuka uNkulunkulu ufe!” Lokhu ayekusho kwakungafani naye—kwakungafani nomkaJobe ayemazi futhi emthanda. Ayengakusho nje uJobe ukuthi umkakhe wayekhuluma njengowesifazane ongenangqondo. Noma kunjalo, wenqaba ukuthuka uNkulunkulu wakhe. Akashongo lutho olubi.—Jobe 2:7-10.

 Bewazi yini ukuthi le ndaba edabukisayo eyenzeka ngempela iyakuthinta nawe? Phawula ukuthi uSathane akamangalelanga uJobe kuphela kodwa nabo bonke abantu. Wathi: “Umuntu uyokhipha konke anakho ngenxa yokuphila kwakhe.” Ngamanye amazwi, uSathane ukholelwa ukuthi sizohluleka ukugcina ubuqotho! Ugomela ngokuthi wena awumthandi ngempela uNkulunkulu, uyomshiya ngokushesha ukuze uzisindise wena. Kufana nokuthi uSathane uthi wena uyigovu njengaye! Ungathanda ukubonisa ukuthi unamanga? Ngamunye kithi unalelo lungelo. (IzAga 27:11) Ake sibone ukuthi iyiphi inselele elandelayo uJobe abhekana nayo.

 Amadoda amathathu ayazi uJobe—iBhayibheli liwachaza ngokuthi abangani, noma abantu ayebajwayele—ezwa ngokumehlele, ayesemvakashela eyomduduza. Lapho embona esekude, awazange akwazi ukubona ukuthi uJobe. Esezinhlungwini, isikhumba sakhe sase simnyama ngenxa yesifo esasimphethe, ungeke usasho ukuthi uyena lo. La madoda amathathu—u-Elifazi, uBhilidadi noSofari—azenza abantu abadabukile, eklabalasa ezithela ngothuli emakhanda. Abe esehlala phansi eduze kukaJobe angasho lutho. Ahlala lapho isonto lonke, ubusuku nemini, engasho lutho. Akufanele sidideke sicabange ukuthi ukuthula kwawo kwakuyinduduzo ngoba awambuzanga mibuzo uJobe—abona lokho wonke umuntu ayekubona, ukuthi uJobe wayesezinhlungwini.—Jobe 2:11-13; 30:30.

 Ekugcineni, nguJobe okwadingeka aqale ingxoxo. Wakhuluma kabuhlungu waqalekisa usuku azalwa ngalo. Washo imbangela yosizi ayekulo. Wayecabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyimbangela yezinkinga zakhe! (Jobe 3:1, 2, 23) Nakuba ayeyindoda enokholo, wayesayidinga induduzo. Kodwa lapho abangani bakhe beqala ukukhuluma, uJobe wabona ukuthi bekungcono besathule.—Jobe 13:5.

 U-Elifazi, okungenzeka wayemdala kunabo bonke futhi emdala kakhulu kunoJobe, uyena owaqala ukukhuluma. Ngemva kwesikhathi, nabanye ababili bakhuluma. Singathi nje bahamba emagameni ka-Elifazi awubuwula. Okunye kwalokho okwakushiwo yila madoda kwakungase kuzwakale kungekubi ngoba ayecaphuna izinto eziyiqiniso ngoNkulunkulu, ezinjengokuthi uNkulunkulu uphakeme, uyabajezisa ababi, abusise abalungile. Kodwa amazwi abo ayengenawo umusa ekuqaleni. U-Elifazi wasikisela ukuthi uma uNkulunkulu elungile, ebajezisa nababi—futhi kwakusobala ukuthi uJobe wayejeziswa—lokho kusho ukuthini-ke? Akusho yini ukuthi kukhona okubi uJobe ayekwenzile?—Jobe 4:1, 7, 8; 5:3-6.

 Akumangazi ukuthi uJobe akazange ayamukele leyo mibono. Wayenqaba ngokuphelele. (Jobe 6:25) Kodwa laba beluleki abathathu baqiniseka nakakhulu ukuthi uJobe wayenze isono futhi ezama ukusifihla; zonke lezi zinto ezazimehlela zazimfanele. U-Elifazi wasola uJobe ngokuthi uyagagamela, mubi, akamesabi uNkulunkulu. (Jobe 15:4, 7-9, 20-24; 22:6-11) USofari watshela uJobe ukuthi akayeke ukwenza izinto ezimbi ayeke nokuzitika ngesono. (Jobe 11:2, 3, 14; 20:5, 12, 13) UBhilidadi yena washo into ebuhlungu nakakhulu. Wathi amadodana kaJobe ayonile ngandlela-thile, ngakho kwakufanele afe ngendlela afa ngayo!—Jobe 8:4, 13.

 Lawo madoda angelusizo lwalutho enza okubi nakakhulu. Awagcinanga ngokuthi uJobe akabanga qotho kuNkulunkulu, kodwa asho nokuthi akusizi ngalutho ukuzama ukuba qotho kuye! U-Elifazi waqala ngamazwi achaza ukuhlangana kwakhe nomoya ongabonakali. Isiphetho u-Elifazi asifinyelela ngemva kokubonana nalelo demoni sasiyingozi: UNkulunkulu “akazethembi izinceku zakhe, nasezingelosini zakhe ubona amaphutha.” Ukucabanga okunjalo kwakusho ukuthi abantu abasoze bakwazi ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu! Kamuva, uBhilidadi wathi ubuqotho bukaJobe babungeke busho lutho kuNkulunkulu—njengoba nje nobuqotho bempethu bungasho lutho!—Jobe 4:12-18; 15:15; 22:2, 3; 25:4-6.

 Wake wazama ukududuza othile ozwa ubuhlungu obukhulu? Akulula. Kodwa singafunda okukhulu kubangani bakaJobe abangasizi ngalutho—singafunda ikakhulukazi lokho okungafanele sikusho. Kuzo zonke lezo zinto ezingazwakala zinengqondo ayezisho, la madoda amathathu awazange ambize ngisho nangegama uJobe! Awabanga nandaba nokuthi uJobe wayenenhliziyo ebuhlungu, angasibona nesidingo sokumphatha ngomusa. a Ngakho uma umuntu omthandayo ezizwa ephansi wena zama ukuba nozwela ubonise ukuthi uyamkhathalela ube nomusa Funa izindlela zokwakha ukholo lwakhe zokumkhuthaza zokumsiza athembele kuNkulunkulu futhi akholwe ukuthi unomusa isihe nobulungisa obukhulu. Yilokho uJobe ayengakwenzela abangani bakhe ukube wayesezicathulweni zabo. (Jobe 16:4, 5) UJobe wenzenjani-ke lapho ubuqotho bakhe buhlaselwa ngokuphindaphindiwe?

 UJobe bakithi wayesevele ecindezelekile lapho kuqala le mpikiswano ende. Zisuka nje, wavuma ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi amazwi akhe ‘ayengasho lutho,’ engamazwi “omuntu ophelelwe ithemba.” (Jobe 6:3, 26) Singaqonda ukuthi kungani asho lawo mazwi. Wawasho ngenxa yobuhlungu benhliziyo. Amazwi akhe abonisa nokuthi wayengaqondi ukuthi kungani lezi zinto zimehlele. Ngenxa yokuthi izinto ezamehlela yena nomndeni wakhe zenzeka ngokuzumayo futhi zabonakala zibangelwa amandla angaphezu kwavamile, uJobe waphetha ngokuthi zazibangelwa uJehova. Kwakunezenzakalo ezibalulekile uJobe ayengazi lutho ngazo, ngakho wafinyelela iziphetho eziyiphutha.

 Noma kunjalo, uJobe wayeyindoda enokholo oluqinile. Ukholo lwakhe lwabonakala emazwini awasho kuleyo mpikiswano eyathatha isikhathi eside—amazwi ayiqiniso, amahle nasikhuthazayo namuhla. Lapho ekhuluma ngezimangaliso zendalo, wakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu ngendlela okungekho muntu owayengamkhazimulisa ngayo ngaphandle kosizo lukaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, wathi uJehova ‘ulengise umhlaba phezu kweze,’ into okwakusasele amakhulu eminyaka ososayensi bayazi. b (Jobe 26:7) Lapho uJobe ekhuluma ngethemba lakhe ngekusasa, wabonisa ukuqiniseka namanye amadoda okholo ayenakho. UJobe wayekholelwa ukuthi uma efa, uzoba senkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu akhumbule ukuba khona kwakhe emhlabeni futhi amvuse esikhathini esizayo.—Jobe 14:13-15; Hebheru 11:17-19, 35.

 Kuthiwani-ke ngendaba yobuqotho? U-Elifazi nabangani bakhe ababili bagcizelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanandaba nobuqotho bomuntu. Ingabe uJobe wayamukela le mfundiso embi? Lutho neze! UJobe waphikelela ekutheni ubuqotho bubalulekile kuNkulunkulu. Ngokuqiniseka wathi ngoJehova: “Uyobubona ubuqotho bami.” (Jobe 31:6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJobe wabona ukuthi indlela yokucabanga yabaduduzi mbumbulu yayihlasela ubuqotho bakhe. Leyo ndlela yokucabanga yenza uJobe washo inkulumo yakhe ende kunazo zonke, eyagcina iwavale umlomo lawo madoda amathathu.

 UJobe wayeqonda ukuthi kufanele abe qotho zonke izinsuku. Ngakho wachaza ukuthi wayebubonisa kanjani ubuqotho kukho konke akwenzayo. Ngokwesibonelo, wayegwema zonke izinhlobo zokukhonza izithixo; wayephatha abanye ngomusa nangenhlonipho; wayegcina ukuziphatha kwakhe kuhlanzekile, ewazisa umshado wakhe; ngaphezu kwakho konke, wahlala eqotho, ezinikele kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. Ngakho, uJobe wayengasho kugcwale umlomo: “Ngiyoze ngife ngingazange ngibulahle ubuqotho bami!”—Jobe 27:5; 31:1, 2, 9-11, 16-18, 26-28.

 Ingabe uyavumelana nombono kaJobe ngobuqotho? Kulula ukuvele sithi siqotho, kodwa uJobe wabona ukuthi ubuqotho buhilela okungaphezu kokusho ngomlomo ukuthi siqotho. Sibonisa ukuthi sizinikele ngokuphelele nangenhliziyo yonke kuNkulunkulu ngokumlalela nokwenza okulungile emehlweni akhe nsuku zonke—ngisho nalapho sisebunzimeni. Uma siphila ngaleyo ndlela, ngokuqinisekile siyomjabulisa uJehova, sidumaze isitha esiwuSathane, njengoba kwenza uJobe ngezikhathi zangaphambili. Ayikho indlela engcono kunale esingalingisa ngayo ukholo lukaJobe!

 Kodwa indaba kaJobe ayiphelelanga lapho. Wakhohlwa yilokho okwakubaluleke ngempela, wagxila kakhulu ekufakazeleni ukuthi ulungile kunokuba avikele idumela likaNkulunkulu. Wayedinga ukulungiswa nosizo ukuze abheke izinto ngendlela kaNkulunkulu. Wayesezwa nobuhlungu obukhulu futhi esosizini, edinga induduzo yangempela. Yini uJehova ayezoyenzela le ndoda enokholo neqotho? Esinye isihloko kulolu chungechunge sizoyiphendula leyo mibuzo.