Job 21
1 Then Job answered:
Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
2 “Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.
Zwanini lilalele ilizwi lami, lalokho kube zinduduzo zenu.
3 Bear with me while I speak; then, after I have spoken, you may go on mocking.
Ngibekezelelani, ukuthi mina ngikhulume; lemva kokukhuluma kwami lingakloloda.
4 Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?
Mina-ke ukusola kwami kusemuntwini yini? Kodwa uba kunjalo, kungani umoya wami ungekhathazeke?
5 Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.
Ngikhangelani, likhakhamale, libeke isandla phezu komlomo.
6 When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror.
Yebo, lapho ngikhumbula, ngitshaywa luvalo, lokuthuthumela kubamba inyama yami.
7 Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
Ababi baphilelani, babe badala, yebo, bakhule emandleni?
8 Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Inzalo yabo izinze phambi kwabo kanye labo, lembewu yabo emehlweni abo.
9 Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
Izindlu zabo zilokuthula kungelakwesaba, loswazi lukaNkulunkulu kaluphezu kwabo.
10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.
Inkunzi yakhe iyakhwela ingaphuthi; inkomokazi yakhe iyazala, ingaphunzi.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,
Bakhupha abantwanyana babo njengomhlambi, labantwana babo bayagida.
12 singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.
Baphakamisa ilizwi ngesigujana lechacho, bathokoze ngelizwi lomhlanga.
Bachitha insuku zabo ngokuhle, behlele engcwabeni ngokucwayiza kwelihlo. (Sheol h7585)
14 Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.
Babesebesithi kuNkulunkulu: Suka kithi; ngoba kasifisi ulwazi lwendlela zakho.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’
Uyini uSomandla ukuthi simkhonze? Sizazuzani uba simncenga?
16 Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
Khangela, okuhle kwabo kakukho esandleni sabo; icebo lababi likhatshana lami.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
Kukangaki isibane sababi sicitshwa, kusiza ukuchitheka kwabo phezu kwabo! UNkulunkulu ubabela ubuhlungu elakeni lwakhe.
18 Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm?
Banjengamahlanga phambi komoya, lanjengomule isiphepho esiwuphephulayo.
19 It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
UNkulunkulu ubekela abantwana bakhe usizi lwakhe. Uyamvuza, njalo uzakwazi.
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.
Amehlo akhe azabona ukuchitheka kwakhe, anathe okolaka lukaSomandla.
21 For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?
Ngoba iyini intokozo yakhe endlini yakhe emva kwakhe, lapho inani lenyanga zakhe liqunywa?
22 Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
Kukhona ongafundisa uNkulunkulu ulwazi yini? Ngoba yena wehlulela abaphezulu.
23 One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.
Lo uyafa esemandleni akhe apheleleyo, yena wonke onwabile, elokuthula.
24 His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.
Iziphathelo zakhe zigcwele uchago, lomnkantsho wamathambo akhe umanzi.
25 Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.
Lomunye ufa elomphefumulo obabayo, engadlanga kokuhle.
26 But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.
Balala ndawonye ethulini, lempethu zibasibekele.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
Khangelani, ngiyayazi imicabango yenu, lamacebo eliwaceba limelene lami.
28 For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
Ngoba lithi: Ingaphi indlu yesiphathamandla? Njalo lingaphi ithente lendawo zababi zokuhlala?
29 Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?
Kalibabuzanga yini abadlula ngendlela, njalo kalinanzeleli iziboniso zabo?
30 Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
Ukuthi omubi uyekelwa osukwini lokubhujiswa; bazalethwa osukwini lwezintukuthelo.
31 Who denounces his behavior to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
Ngubani ozamtshela indlela yakhe ebusweni? Ngubani ozamphindisela ngakwenzileyo?
32 He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
Kanti yena uzasiwa engcwabeni, lilindwe idundulu.
33 The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.
Amagade esihotsha amnandi kuye, njalo udonsa wonke umuntu emva kwakhe, njengoba bengelakubalwa abaphambi kwakhe.
34 So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”
Pho lizangiduduza njani ngeze, ngoba empendulweni zenu kusele inkohliso?
