Wayehleli phantsi, umzimba wakhe wonke ukuqala entloko ukuyokutsho kunyawo wawugcwele ngamathumba abuhlungu okanye izilonda ezoyikekayo. Khawube ngathi uyambona, intloko yakhe ijonge phantsi, amagxa adiniwe, uhleli yedwa, akanawo namandla la okuphekuza iimpukane ezisondela kuye. Ukuze abonise indlela azile ngayo, wayehleli eluthuthwini esebenzisa iceba lengqayi ukuze azikrwempe. Wayehlonitshwa ngumntu wonke kodwa ngoku babemdelela. Wayelahlwe ngabahlobo, abamelwane kunye nabantu azalana nabo. Wonke umntu, nabantwana aba, babehlekisa ngaye. Wayecinga ukuba wayejikelwe nanguThixo wakhe uYehova, kodwa wayephazamile ke apho.​—Yobhi 2:8; 19:18, 22.

 NguYobhi lo sithetha ngaye. Xa wayethetha ngaye, uThixo wathi: “Akukho mntu unjengaye emhlabeni.” (Yobhi 1:8) Naxa sekudlule iminyaka emininzi, uYehova wayesambala phakathi kwamadoda angamalungisa.​—Hezekile 14:14, 20.

 Ngaba uneengxaki ezinkulu okanye izinto zisoloko zingakuhambeli kakuhle? Lingakuthuthuzela kakhulu ibali likaYobhi. Lingakunceda ubone indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba abakhonzi bakaThixo bathembeke. Abantu babonisa indlela abathembeke ngayo kuThixo xa bezinikela ngokupheleleyo kuye naxa kunzima. Makhe sive ngoYobhi.

 Kubonakala ukuba emva kwexeshana uYobhi eswelekile, uMoses wabhala ngobomi bukaYobhi. Ephefumlelwe, wachaza ngezinto ezenzeka kuYobhi waza wachaza nezinto ezenzeka ezulwini.

 Ekuqaleni kwencwadi kaYobhi siva ukuba wayeyindoda eyonwabileyo. Wayesisityebi esaziwa ngabantu bonke futhi ehlotshwa kwilizwe laseUtse, ekusenokwenzeka lisemantla eArabia. Wayebapha izinto abantu abasokolayo aze abancede abantu abangakwazi ukuzikhusela. UYobhi nenkosikazi yakhe baba nabantwana abalishumi. Ngaphezu kwayo yonke le nto, uYobhi wayemthanda uYehova. Wayezama ukuvuyisa uYehova, esenza into eyayisenziwa ngabantu awayezalana nabo, uAbraham, uIsake, uYakobi, noYosefu. Njengabo, uYobhi wayeba ngumbingeleli kwintsapho yakhe, esoloko esenzela ngamnye kubo umnikelo.​—Yobhi 1:1-5; 31:16-22.

 Kwakweli bali likaYobhi, siva ngenye into. Sikrotyiswa kwinto eyenzeka ezulwini ibe sifunda nangezinto uYobhi awayengenakuzazi. Iingelosi ezithembekileyo zikaYehova zaziphambi kwakhe, nengelosi eyavukelayo enguSathana yayilapho. UYehova wayesazi ukuba uSathana uyayicaphukela le ndoda ililungisa inguYobhi. Ngoko wachazela uSathana indlela uYobhi athembeke ngayo. USathana wathi: “Ukuba uYobhi ebengafumani nto, ebeza kumoyika na uThixo? Andithi wena umkhusele yena nendlu yakhe nayo yonke into anayo?” USathana uyabacaphukela abantu abangagungqiyo ekukhonzeni uYehova. Xa bezinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova uThixo, babonisa ukuba uSathana ulixoki elingathandi mntu. Ngoko uSathana wayesithi uYobhi wayemkhonza uThixo ngenxa yokuba wayencedakala. Wayesithi ukuba nje uYobhi angalahlekelwa zizo zonke izinto anazo, wayeza kujika amthuke uYehova.​—Yobhi 1:6-11.

 UYobhi wayengayazi ukuba uYehova wayemnike umsebenzi omkhulu, wokungqina ukuba uSathana lixoki. USathana wayevumelekile ukuba athathe yonke into awayenayo uYobhi. Kodwa wayengamele amonzakalise. Ngoko uSathana waqalisa ukwenza umsebenzi wakhe ongcolileyo. Ngosuku nje olunye kwenzeka izinto ezimbi kakhulu kuYobhi enye emva kwenye. Weva ukuba imfuyo yakhe yonke, iinkomo, iidonki, iigusha neenkamela zakhe azisekho. Into embi nakakhulu kukuba kwakubulawe nabasebenzi bakhe ebebezigadile. Omnye umntu owayezokuchaza kuYobhi ngesizathu sokufa kweegusha zakhe nabasebenzi bakhe wathi “kuhle umlilo kaThixo,” ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ngumbane. Uthe uYobhi engekayihlafuni nale isandokwenzeka, weva esinye isithonga. Abantwana bakhe bonke babedibene endlini kabhuti wabo kwasuka kwavuthuza umoya omkhulu wayiwisa loo ndlu baza bafa bonke.​—Yobhi 1:12-19.

 Kusenokuba nzima okanye singakwazi kwaukukwazi ukucinga ngendlela uYobhi awayeziva ngayo. Wakrazula isambatho sakhe, wacheba intloko waza wawa phantsi. Wathi nguYehova onikileyo, ikwanguYehova othathileyo. USathana wenza iqhinga lokuba ibonakale ngathi nguThixo ozise ezo ntlekele. Kodwa uYobhi akazange amjikele aze amthuke uThixo njengokuba uSathana wayesitsho. Kodwa wathi: “Maliqhubeke lidunyiswa igama likaYehova.”​—Yobhi 1:20-22.

 USathana wayenomsindo kakhulu ibe wayengafuni ukunikezela. Xa iingelosi zazidibene phambi kukaYehova, noSathana waphinda waya. NoYehova waphinda wancoma indlela uYobhi awayemsulwa ngayo kuba wayeqhubeka ethembekile nakubeni uSathana wayemhlasela. USathana wathi: “Isikhumba ngesikhumba. Akukho nto umntu angenakuyincama ukuze asindise ubomi bakhe. Khawolule nje isandla sakho, umbethe emathanjeni nasenyameni, uze ubone ukuba akazukujika akuthuke na.” Wayeqinisekile ukuba, ukuba uYobhi angagula kakhulu, wayeza kujika amthuke uThixo. UYehova wayemthembe nyhani uYobhi, ngoko wamvumela uSathana ukuba amenze agule uYobhi kodwa angambulali.​—Yobhi 2:1-6.

 Kungekudala, uYobhi wayekule meko besithethe ngayo kwisiqendu sokuqala. Khawucinge ngomfazi wakhe. Wayesezintlungwini kuba wayeswelekelwe ngabantwana bakhe abalishumi ibe ngoku kwakufuneka ebukele umyeni wakhe esentlungwini engakwazi ukumenzela nto. Ekhathazekile wathi: “Usathembekile nangoku? Thetha kakubi ngalo Thixo, usuke ufe ke!” Ezi zinto wayezithetha zazingenakuthethwa ngula mfazi uYobhi amaziyo namthandayo. UYobhi wathi umkakhe uthetha ezi zinto kuba akekho sezingqondweni. Kuyo yonke loo nto, akazange ajike athuke uThixo. Akazange one ngamazwi wakhe.​—Yobhi 2:7-10.

 Ngaba uyayazi ukuba nawe ikhona into ekudibanisayo kweli bali libuhlungu? Qaphela ukuba isityholo esenziwa nguSathana sasingayi kuYobhi yedwa kodwa sasisiya kumntu wonke. Wathi: “Akukho nto umntu angenakuyincama ukuze asindise ubomi bakhe.” Ngamanye amazwi uSathana uthi akukho mntu unokukwazi ukukhonza uYehova ngokungagungqiyo. Uthi wena awumthandi tu uThixo ibe ungakhawuleza umjikele kuba ufuna ukuzikhusela. Kuyafana ingathi uSathana uthi ufana naye, ucingela isiqu sakho. Uyafuna ukumbonisa ukuba uyaxoka? Sonke sinalo ithuba lokwenza njalo. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Ngoku makhe sijonge enye into uYobhi awajamelana nayo.

 Amadoda amathathu awayemazi uYobhi, eBhayibhileni achazwa ngokuba ngabahlobo, eva ngezinto ezibuhlungu ezimehleleyo aza aya kuye ayokumthuthuzela. Ambona esekude kodwa ayengatsho ukuba nguye. UYobhi wayengcungcutheka ziintlungu ulusu lwakhe lumnyama, ngoko wawungenakutsho ukuba nguye. La madoda mathathu, uElifazi, uBhiledadi noTsofare enza ngathi akhathazekile ngenxa yentlungu kaYobhi. Akhala aza aphosa umhlaba kwiintloko zawo. Ahlala phantsi ecaleni kukaYobhi, awakhupha nelimdaka. Yaphela gungqu iveki, imini nobusuku, ethe cwaka. Akufunekanga senze impazamo, sicinge ukuba ukuthula kwawo yayikukumthuthuzela. La madoda awazange ambuze kwanto, ayebona le nto icace kumntu wonke, into yokuba uYobhi wayengcungcutheka ziintlungu.​—Yobhi 2:11-13; 30:30.

 Ekugqibeleni, yaba nguYobhi oqala incoko. Wabonisa indlela awayesentlungwini ngayo xa waqalekisa umhla awazalwa ngawo. Wachaza nesinye sezizathu esimenza ukuba akhathazeke kangaka. Wayecinga ukuba nguThixo unobangela weengxaki awayenazo. (Yobhi 3:1, 2, 23) Nakubeni uYobhi wayeyindoda enokholo, wayekudinga nyhani ukuthuthuzelwa. Xa abahlobo bakhe baqala ukuthetha, wabona ukuba bekubhetele ngoku bebethule.​—Yobhi 13:5.

 UElifazi ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wayengoyena mdala ibe emdala nakuYobhi, waqalisa ukuthetha. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, naba babini balandela. Benza ubudenge ngokucinga ngendlela uElifazi awayecinga ngayo. Ezinye izinto ezazithethwa ngala madoda zazibonakala ingathi azinamsebenzi kuba ayephinda izinto ezazidla ngokuthethwa ngabantu xa bethetha ngoThixo ibe zazibonakala ngathi ziyinyani. Izinto ezifana nokuba uThixo uphakamile, uyabohlwaya abantu ababi futhi uyabasikelela abantu abalungileyo. La madoda athi esaqala ukuthetha amazwi wawo abonisa ukuba awamcingeli uYobhi. UElifazi wathetha into ebonakala ngathi yinyani kodwa akazihoya iinyaniso ezibalulekileyo. Wagqiba ekubeni, ukuba uThixo ulungile ibe uyabagweba abantu abenza izinto ezimbi, kumele ukuba sikho esi sono senziwe nguYobhi.​—Yobhi 4:1, 7, 8; 5:3-6.

 Ayisothusi into yokuba uYobhi akazange ayamkele tuu le ndlela bacinga ngayo. (Yobhi 6:25) Kodwa la madoda mathathu ayeqinisekile ukuba sikho isono uYobhi asenzileyo qha uyasifihla ibe ufanele ukwehlelwa zizo zonke ezi zinto zimbi. UElifazi watyhola uYobhi esithi ukhukumele, wenza izinto ezimbi ibe akamoyiki uThixo. (Yobhi 15:4, 7-9, 20-24; 22:6-11) UTsofare waxelela uYobhi ukuba ayeke ukwenza izinto ezimbi aze ahlukane nokuthanda ukwenza isono. (Yobhi 11:2, 3, 14; 20:5, 12, 13) NoBhiledadi wathetha into ekhohlakeleyo. Wathi oonyana bakaYobhi bamele ukuba benza isono, yiloo nto befe ngolwa hlobo bafe ngalo.​—Yobhi 8:4, 13.

 Loo madoda enza nenye into embi. Awazange aphelele ekuthini uYobhi wayengathembekanga kuThixo kodwa athi akubalulekanga ukuzama ukuthembeka kuThixo. Kumazwi wakhe, uElifazi uqale athethe ngomoya ongabonakaliyo. Emva kokuba edibene naloo demon, uElifazi wathi: “UThixo akathembanga nditsho nabakhonzi bakhe, nkqu neengelosi zakhe uyazigxeka.” Ukuba loo nto ibiyinyani ibiya kuthetha ukuba abantu abasoze bamvuyise uThixo. UBhiledadi yena wathi uThixo wayengayikhathalelanga into yokuthembeka kukaYobhi njengokuba engayikhathalelanga into yokuthembeka kwempethu.​—Yobhi 4:12-18; 15:15; 22:2, 3; 25:4-6.

 Ngaba wakhe wamthuthuzela umntu osentlungwini? Akululanga. Kodwa zininzi izinto esinokuzifunda kwaba bahlobo bakaYobhi balahlekisayo, izinto esingamele sizithethe. La madoda mathathu athetha izinto ezininzi ezazinokuvakala ngathi zilumkile futhi ziyinyani kodwa awazange avelane noYobhi. Awazange ambize nangegama eli lakhe. Ayengayikhathalelanga into yokuba uYobhi wayekhathazekile ibe awazange acinge nokuba athethe kakuhle naye. * Ukuba kukho umntu omaziyo ukuba ukhathazekile, zama ukubonisa ukuba umkhathalele uze ube nobubele. Zama ukumnceda aqinise ukholo lwakhe uze umkhuthaze. Mncede athembele kuYehova aze akholelwe ukuba uYehova unobubele, inceba nobulungisa. UYobhi wayenokwenza loo nto ukuba ibingabahlobo bakhe aba basengxakini. (Yobhi 16:4, 5) Waye wathini ke xa babehlasela indlela awayethembeke ngayo?

 UYobhi wayesele eziva ephantsi xa abahlobo bakhe babeqalisa ukuthetha. Wavuma into yokuba ezinye izinto awayezithetha ‘yayikukubhuda namazwi omntu osele encamile.’ (Yobhi 6:3, 26) Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba athethe amazwi anjalo. Amazwi akhe ayebonisa intlungu awayenayo entliziyweni yakhe. Izinto awayezithetha zazibonisa ukuba wayengayiqondi kakuhle into eyayisenzeka. Ngenxa yokuba ezi zinto zakhawuleza zamehlela uYobhi nentsapho yakhe, ezinye zibonakala ngathi ngamandla angaqhelekanga, uYobhi wacinga ukuba nguYehova unobangela. Wayengazazi izinto ezibalulekileyo ezazisenzeka, ngoko indlela awayecinga ngayo yayisekelwe kwizinto ezingeyonyani.

 Kodwa uYobhi wayeyindoda enokholo olomeleleyo. Ukholo lwakhe lubonakala kwizinto awazithethayo, eziyinyani nezisikhuthazayo namhlanje. Xa wayethetha ngendalo emangalisayo wachaza izinto umntu ebengenakuzazi ukuba ebengancedwa nguThixo. Ngokomzekelo wathi uYehova ‘uwujingise emoyeni’ umhlaba into ebingaziwa ngoososayensi kangangeminyaka emininzi. * (Yobhi 26:7) UYobhi wathetha nangethemba lekamva awayenalo, themba elo awayenalo namanye amadoda athembekileyo. Wayeqinisekile ukuba nokuba angafa, uThixo wayeza kumkhumbula aze amvuse.​—Yobhi 14:13-15; Hebhere 11:17-19, 35.

 Wathini ngokuthembeka? UElifazi nabahlobo bakhe ababini bathi uThixo akayikhathalelanga into yokuthembeka komntu. Ngaba uYobhi wayamkela loo nto? Akazange. Wabonisa ukuba ukuthembeka kubalulekile kuThixo. Xa wayethetha ngoYehova wathi: “Uza kutsho ayibone indlela endimsulwa [endithembeke] ngayo.” (Yobhi 31:6) UYobhi wabona ukuba le ndlela ingabhadlanga acinga ngayo la madoda yayikukuhlasela nje ukuthembeka kwakhe. Le nto yamenza ukuba athethe awona mazwi made, awavala imilomo yawo.

 UYobhi wabona ukuba ukuthembeka kubalulekile kuyo nantoni na ayenzayo ebomini yonke imihla. Ngoko wacacisa indlela aqhubeke emsulwa ngayo kuyo nantoni na ebeyenza. Ngokomzekelo, wayiphepha nantoni na edibene nezithixo, wabaphatha abantu ngobubele nangesidima, waziphatha kakuhle, ewuxabisile umtshato wakhe. Ngaphezu kwayo yonke into, waqhubeka ezinikele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo wakhe, uYehova. Yiloo nto wayekwazi ukuthetha la mazwi ngomzimba ongenaxhala. Wathi: “Andizukuyeka ukuba msulwa de ndife!”​—Yobhi 27:5; 31:1, 2, 9-11, 16-18, 26-28.

 Ngaba nakuwe ukuthembeka kubalulekile, njengokuba kwakubalulekile kuYobhi? Wayeyiqonda into yokuba asimele siphelele nje ekuthini sithembekile kodwa kufuneka siyibonise loo nto ngezinto esizenzayo. Sibonisa ukuba sizinikele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo xa simthobela size senze izinto ezimvuyisayo kubomi bethu bemihla ngemihla naxa kunzima. Ukuba senza ngaloo ndlela, ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uza kuvuya luze lucaphuke utshaba lwakhe uSathana kanye njengokuba uYobhi wenzayo. Le yeyona ndlela esinokumxelisa ngayo uYobhi.

 Kodwa ibali likaYobhi alipheleli apho. Walibala eyona nto ibalulekileyo. Wayesoloko ezama ukubonisa ukuba uyindoda elungileyo waza walibala ukumela uThixo wakhe. Wayedinga ukulungiswa aze ancedwe abone izinto ngohlobo lukaThixo. Wayesangcungcutheka ziintlungu ibe ekudinga nyhani ukuthuthuzelwa. UYehova wayeza kuyenzela ntoni le ndoda inokholo neyayithembekile? Elinye inqaku kula manqaku athetha ngokuxelisa ukholo lwabo, liza kuwuphendula lo mbuzo.