Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
2 Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
“Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
4 Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
6 Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
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 melody?
lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
8 Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:
Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
9 When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
10 I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
11 And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
12 Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
13 And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
14 The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
15 From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
16 Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
18 Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
20 That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
21 Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
23 Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war?
engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
24 By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon the earth?
Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
25 Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
26 That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
28 Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
30 The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
31 Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
32 Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
33 Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
37 Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
38 When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
39 Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
40 When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
41 Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
