Job 28
1 “Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
3 Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness.
Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
4 Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.
Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
5 Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.
Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
6 Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.
Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
7 No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.
Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
8 Proud beasts have never trodden it; no lion has ever prowled over it.
Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
9 The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.
Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
10 He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.
Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
11 He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.
Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
12 But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?
Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
13 No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.
Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
14 The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’
Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
15 It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.
Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
18 Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
19 Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.
Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
20 From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?
Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.
Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
22 Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor about it.’
Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
23 But God understands its way, and He knows its place.
UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
24 For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
25 When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,
Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
26 when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,
Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
27 then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out.
Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
28 And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
