Job 38
1 But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
2 Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
“Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
3 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
4 Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
5 Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
6 Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
7 when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
8 Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
9 when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
10 I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
11 And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
12 Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
13 And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
14 The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
15 From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
16 Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
18 Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
19 Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
20 In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
21 So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
22 Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
23 which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
24 In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
25 Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
26 so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
28 Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
29 From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
30 The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
31 Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
32 Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
33 Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
35 Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
36 Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
37 Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
38 When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
39 Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
40 as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
41 Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
