Job 3
1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day,
Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
2 and this is what he said:
UJobe wasephendula wathi:
3 May the day perish on which I was born, and the night, in which it was said, “A man has been conceived.”
Kalubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo, lobusuku okwathiwa ngalo: Kukhulelwe umntwana wesilisa.
4 May that day be turned into darkness, may God not seek it from above, and may light not illuminate it.
Lolosuku kalube ngumnyama, uNkulunkulu angalunanzi ephezulu, lokukhanya kungalukhanyisi.
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death obscure it, let a fog overtake it, and let it be enveloped in bitterness.
Umnyama lethunzi lokufa kakuluhlenge, iyezi lihlale phezu kwalo, umnyama welanga ulwesabise.
6 Let a whirlwind of darkness take hold of that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.
Lobobusuku, umnyama ububambe, lungathokozi ensukwini zomnyaka, lungezi kunani lezinyanga.
7 May that night be alone and unworthy of praise.
Khangela, lobobusuku kabube yinyumba, umsindo wentokozo ungangeni kubo.
8 May they curse it, who curse the day, who are prepared to awaken a leviathan.
Kababuqalekise abaqalekisi bosuku, abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
9 Let the stars be concealed with its darkness. Let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawn in the East.
Zibe mnyama inkanyezi zokusa kwabo, bulindele ukukhanya, kodwa kungabi khona, bungaboni inkophe zokusa.
10 For it did not close the doors of the womb that bore me, nor take away evils from my eyes.
Ngoba bungavalanga iminyango yesisu sikamama wami, bungafihlanga usizi emehlweni ami.
11 Why did I not die in the womb? Having left the womb, why did I not immediately perish?
Kungani ngingafanga kusukela esizalweni, ngiphele ekuphumeni kwami esiswini?
12 Why was I received upon the knees? Why was I suckled at the breasts?
Kungani amadolo angandulela? Kungani lamabele ukuthi ngimunye?
13 For by now, I should have been sleeping silently, and taking rest in my sleep
Ngoba khathesi ngabe ngacambalala ngathula, ngalala, khona ngaba lokuphumula,
14 with the kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes,
kanye lamakhosi labeluleki bomhlaba abazakhela amanxiwa,
15 either with princes, who possess gold and fill their houses with silver,
kumbe kanye leziphathamandla ezazilegolide ezagcwalisa izindlu zazo ngesiliva.
16 or, like a hidden miscarriage, I should not have continued, just like those who, being conceived, have not seen the light.
Kumbe njengomphunzo ofihliweyo ngingabi khona, njengensane ezingabonanga ukukhanya.
17 There the impious cease from rebellion, and there the wearied in strength take rest.
Lapho ababi bayekela ukuhlupha, lapho abakhathele ngamandla bephumula.
18 And at such times, having been bound together without difficulty, they have not heard the voice of the bailiff.
Izibotshwa ziyaphumula ndawonye, kazizwa ilizwi lomcindezeli.
19 The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
Omncinyane lomkhulu balapho, lesigqili sikhululekile enkosini yaso.
20 Why is light given to the miserable, and life to those who are in bitterness of soul,
Kungani enika ukukhanya kohluphekayo, lempilo kwabalokubaba komphefumulo;
21 who expect death, and it does not arrive, like those who dig for treasure
abalindele ukufa, kodwa kungekho, bekugebha kulenotho efihliweyo,
22 and who rejoice greatly when they have found the grave,
abathabayo kakhulu ngentokozo, bajabule lapho bethola ingcwaba?
23 to a man whose way is hidden and whom God has surrounded with darkness?
Emuntwini yini, ondlela yakhe ifihliwe, uNkulunkulu ambiyeleyo?
24 Before I eat, I sigh; and like overflowing waters, so is my howl,
Ngoba ukububula kwami kuza phambi kokudla kwami, lokubhonga kwami kuthululeka njengamanzi.
25 for the terror that I feared has happened to me, and so has the dread befallen me.
Ngoba engikwesabayo ngokwesaba sekungehlele, lengilovalo ngakho kufikile kimi.
26 Have I not remained hidden? Have I not kept silence? Have I not remained calm? Yet indignation has overcome me.
Ngangingahlalisekanga, ngingaphumuli, ngingelakuthula, lohlupho lweza.
