< Job 38 >

1 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge?
Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
6 Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof,
Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
8 Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb;
Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
9 When I made clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
10 And marked out for it my bound, And set bars and doors,
Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days [began], [And] caused the dayspring to know its place;
Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?
ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal; And [all things] stand forth as a garment:
Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, And the high arm is broken.
Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
18 Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof?
ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
21 [Doubtless], thou knowest, for thou wast then born, And the number of thy days is great!
Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
22 Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, Against the day of battle and war?
engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
24 By what way is the light parted, Or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
25 Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, Or the way for the lightning of the thunder;
Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 To satisfy the waste and desolate [ground], And to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
30 The waters hide themselves [and become] like stone, And the face of the deep is frozen.
Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
31 Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the bands of Orion?
Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
32 Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her train?
Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover thee?
Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, And say unto thee, Here we are?
Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
38 When the dust runneth into a mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
39 Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
40 When they couch in their dens, [And] abide in the covert to lie in wait?
lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
41 Who provideth for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry unto God, [And] wander for lack of food?
Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?

< Job 38 >