Job 31
1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
“Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
2 For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
3 Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
4 Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
6 let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
7 If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
nxa izinyathelo zami zike zaphambuka endleleni, nxa inhliziyo yami ikhokhelwe ngamehlo ami, noma kumbe izandla zami zike zangcoliswa,
8 then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
9 If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
10 then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
11 For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
12 For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
13 If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
14 what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
15 Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
Yena lowo owangenzayo esibelethweni kabenzanga labo na? Kasuye yini yena kanye owasenzayo sonke phakathi kwezisu zabomama na?
16 If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
17 if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
18 though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
19 if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
20 if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,
22 then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
23 For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
24 If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
25 if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
26 if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
28 this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
29 If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
31 if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
32 but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
33 if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
34 because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—
ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
35 (Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
(Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
37 I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
38 if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
39 if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
40 then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
