Job 29
1 And Job continued his discourse:
UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
2 “How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
“Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
3 when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
4 when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
5 when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
6 when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
7 When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
9 The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
10 The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
11 For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
13 The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
15 I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
16 I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
18 So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
19 My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
20 My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
21 Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
22 After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
23 They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
24 If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
25 I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.
Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
