Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?
“Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
2 For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,
Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )
uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
7 If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;
nxa izinyathelo zami zike zaphambuka endleleni, nxa inhliziyo yami ikhokhelwe ngamehlo ami, noma kumbe izandla zami zike zangcoliswa,
8 Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
10 Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.
lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
11 For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
13 If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
14 What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?
ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion 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 withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,
nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
18 (For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )
kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
19 If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;
nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,
22 [Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
26 If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
27 And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
28 This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
30 (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
31 If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —
nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
32 The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...
ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
35 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
(Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
36 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.
Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;
Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:
nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
