Job 17
1 “My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me.
Umoya wami wonakele, insuku zami zicitshiwe, amangcwaba ngawami.
2 Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.
Kabakho lami yini abaklolodayo, lelihlo lami lichitha ubusuku ekuvukeleni kwabo?
3 Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?
Akubeke isibambiso sami kuwe; ngubani yena ozatshaya esandleni sami?
4 You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them.
Ngoba inhliziyo yabo uyifihlele ukuqedisisa; ngenxa yalokhu kawuyikubaphakamisa.
5 If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.
Okhuluma ngokuyenga kubangane, lamehlo abantwana bakhe azafiphala.
6 He has made me a byword among the people, a man in whose face they spit.
Njalo ungimise ngaba yisaga sezizwe, ngaze ngaba ngokhafulelwayo phambi kwazo.
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief, and my whole body is but a shadow.
Njalo ilihlo lami lifiphele ngosizi, lamalunga ami anjengesithunzi wonke.
8 The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent are stirred against the godless.
Abaqotho bazakwethuswa yikho, longelacala uvukela ongamesabiyo uNkulunkulu.
9 Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
Lolungileyo uzabambelela endleleni yakhe, lolezandla ezihlambulukileyo uzakwengeza amandla.
10 But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.
Kodwa-ke lina lonke, phendukani ake libuye, ngoba kangitholi ohlakaniphileyo phakathi kwenu.
11 My days have passed; my plans are broken off— even the desires of my heart.
Insuku zami zedlule, amacebo ami adabuke phakathi, lezifiso zenhliziyo yami.
12 They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.
Bamisa ubusuku bube yimini; ukukhanya kuseduze phambi kobumnyama.
Uba ngilinda, ingcwaba lizakuba yindlu yami; ngendlala umbheda wami emnyameni. (Sheol h7585)
14 and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
Ngibiza ingcwaba ngisithi: Wena ungubaba; impethu ngisithi: Umama lodadewethu.
15 where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?
Pho-ke ithemba lami lingaphi? Yebo, ithemba lami ngubani ozalibona?
