Job 24
1 Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?
Kungani izikhathi zingafihlelwanga uSomandla, labamaziyo bengaboni insuku zakhe?
2 The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.
Bathuthukisa imingcele, baphange imihlambi bayeluse.
3 They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.
Baxotsha ubabhemi wezintandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
4 The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.
Baphambula abaswelayo emigwaqweni; abayanga bomhlaba bacatsha ndawonye.
5 Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.
Khangelani, bangobabhemi beganga enkangala, baphumela emsebenzini wabo, badinge impango ngovivi; inkangala ibe yikudla kwakhe lokwabantwana.
6 They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.
Emasimini bavuna ukudla kwakhe, bakhothoze esivinini somubi.
7 They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.
Balala beze ebusuku bengelasembatho, bengelasigubuzelo emqandweni.
8 They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.
Bamanzi ngezihlambo zezintaba, babambelela edwaleni ngoba bengelasiphephelo.
9 The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.
Bahluthuna intandane ebeleni, bathathe lesibambiso kumyanga.
10 Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.
Bahamba beze bengelasigqoko, labalambileyo bathwala isithungo.
11 Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.
Phakathi kwemiduli yabo bahluza amafutha, banyathela izikhamelo zewayini, kodwa bomile.
12 From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.
Abantu bayabubula besemzini, lomphefumulo wabalimeleyo uyakhala; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababaleli ukungalungi.
13 Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.
Bona baphakathi kwabavukela ukukhanya; kabazazi indlela zakhe, kabahlali emikhondweni yakhe.
14 He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.
Umbulali uyavuka ngovivi, abulale umyanga loswelayo; lebusuku unjengesela.
15 And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;
Lelihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa, sisithi: Kakulalihlo elizangibona; sifake isimbombozo ebusweni baso.
16 In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.
Emnyameni ugebha aphutshele ezindlini abaziphawulele zona emini; kabakwazi ukukhanya.
17 For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.
Ngoba ikuseni kanyekanye ilithunzi lokufa kubo; uba besaziwa bakuzesabiso zethunzi lokufa.
18 They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.
Ulula phezu kobuso bamanzi; isabelo sabo siqalekisiwe emhlabeni; kaphendukeli endleleni yezivini.
Imbalela lokutshisa kuqeda amanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngokunjalo ingcwaba abonileyo. (Sheol h7585)
20 The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.
Isizalo sizamkhohlwa, impethu izammunya, engabe esakhunjulwa, lenkohlakalo izakwephulwa njengesihlahla.
21 He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.
Udla ngokuminza inyumba engazaliyo, kamenzeli okuhle umfelokazi.
22 But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.
Njalo udonsa abalamandla ngamandla akhe, uyavuka, njalo kungabi lolethemba lempilo.
23 He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.
Uyamnika ukuze alondolozeke, eseyama kukho, kodwa amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zabo.
24 For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.
Bayaphakanyiswa okwesikhatshana, babesebengasekho, behliselwa phansi, bavalelwe njengaye wonke, bayaqunywa njengesihloko sesikhwebu.
25 And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?
Uba-ke kungenjalo, ngubani ongangenza umqambimanga, enze inkulumo yami ibe yize?
