Job 24
1 Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do those who know him not see his days?
“Kungani uSomandla engabeki izikhathi zokwahlulela na? Kungani labo abamaziyo belindela ize bengazazi lezinsuku na?
2 There are men who remove the landmarks. They take away flocks violently, and feed them.
Abantu bayayiguqula imingcele ngokususa izikhonkwane; bayayelusa imihlambi entshontshiweyo.
3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless. They take the widow's ox for a pledge.
Bayathatha bahambe lobabhemi wentandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
4 They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
Abaswelayo bayabagudlula endleleni bancindezele abayanga belizweni baze bayocatsha.
5 Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their sons.
Njengabobabhemi beganga enkangala, abayanga babhudula ukudla; egwaduleni kulapho okuzuzwa khona ukudla kwabantwababo.
6 They cut their provender in the field, and they glean the vintage of the wicked.
Babutha ukudla kwenkomo emasimini badobhe okuseleyo ezivinini zababi.
7 They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
Ngoba bengelazigqoko balala beze ubusuku bonke; kabalalutho lokuzembesa emqandweni.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
Bagxonxwa lizulu lezintabeni bakhusele emadwaleni beswele indawo yokuphephela.
9 There are men who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
Umntwana oyintandane uhluthunwa ebeleni; usane lomyanga luyathunjelwa isikwelede.
10 so that they go about naked without clothing, and being hungry they carry the sheaves.
Ngoba bengelazigqoko bahamba nqunu; bathwala izikhwebu zamabele kodwa belambile.
11 They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
Bahluza ama-oliva emigelweni; bagidagida esikhamelweni sewayini kodwa bomile.
12 From out of the populous city men groan, and the soul of the wounded cries out. Yet God does not regard the folly.
Ukububula kwabafayo kuzwakala kuphuma edolobheni, lemiphefumulo yabalimeleyo ikhala icela uncedo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kabeki muntu icala ngenxa yokona.
13 These are of those who rebel against the light. They do not know the ways of it, nor abide in the paths of it.
Bakhona labo abahlamukela ukukhanya, abangazaziyo izindlela zalokho kukhanya loba ukuhlala kuzo.
14 The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. And in the night he is as a thief.
Nxa ukukhanya kwemini sekuhambile isigebenga siyaphuma sibulale abampofu labaswelayo; ebusuku siyanyonyoba njengesela.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. And he disguises his face.
Ilihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa; sikhumbula sithi, ‘Akulamuntu ozangibona,’ sihlala sibusithile ubuso baso.
16 In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They do not know the light.
Ebumnyameni abantu bayagqekeza izindlu, kodwa emini bayazivalela endlini; kabakufuni ukukhanya.
17 For the morning is to all of them as thick darkness. For they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
Bonke labo ubumnyama obukhulu buyikusa kubo; bathandana lezinto ezesabekayo ezobumnyama.
18 Swiftly they pass away upon the face of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They do not turn into the way of the vineyards.
Ikanti baligwebu phezu kwamanzi; esabo isabelo selizwe siqalekisiwe, ukuze kungayi muntu ezivinini.
Njengalokhu ukutshisa lokoma kuhangula ungqwaqwane oncibilikayo, kanjalo ingcwaba liyabahlwitha abenze isono. (Sheol h7585)
20 The womb shall forget him. The worm shall feed sweetly on him. He shall be no more remembered. And unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.
Isibeletho siyabakhohlwa, impethu zizitike phezu kwabo; abantu ababi kabasakhunjulwa kodwa bayafohlozwa njengesihlahla.
21 He devours the barren who do not bear, and does no good to the widow.
Bancindezela owesifazane oyinyumba longelamntwana, kumfelokazi kabalamusa.
22 Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyazihudulela kude izikhulu ngamandla akhe. Noma bangaze bahlale bazinze kodwa kabalathemba lempilo.
23 God gives them to be in security, and they rest in it. And his eyes are upon their ways.
Angabayekela bahlale besizwa bevikelekile, kodwa amehlo akhe ayazibona izindlela zabo.
24 They are exalted. Yet a little while, and they are gone. Yea, they are brought low. They are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
Okwesikhatshana nje balodumo, baphinde banyamalale; bayehliswa njalo bafe njengabo bonke abanye; bayaqunywa njengezihloko zamabele.
25 And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?
Aluba lokhu kungenjalo, ngubani ongathi ngilamanga alulazise amazwi ami abe yize?”
