Job 38
1 But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
2 Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
3 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
4 Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
5 Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
6 Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
7 when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
8 Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
9 when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
10 I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
11 And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
12 Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
13 And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
14 The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
15 From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
16 Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
18 Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
19 Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
20 In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
21 So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
22 Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
23 which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
24 In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
25 Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
26 so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
28 Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
29 From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
30 The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
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?
Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
32 Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
33 Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
35 Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
36 Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
37 Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
38 When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
39 Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
40 as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
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 olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
