Job 16
1 Job replied,
UJobe wasephendula wathi:
2 “I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble!
“Sengezwa izinto ezinengi ezifana lalezi; lingabaduduzi ababi lina lonke!
3 Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?
Zizaphela nini inkulumo zokubhuda kwenu lokhu? Kuyini okulihluphayo laphikelela nje lidaza inkani?
4 I could talk like you do if you were in my place, stringing words together to criticize you, ridiculing you with a toss of my head.
Lami bengingakhuluma njengani aluba yini elisesikhundleni sami; ngabe ngikhupha inkulumo ezimnandi ngilisola ngize nginikine ikhanda lami.
5 I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain.
Kodwa umlomo wami ngabe uyaliqinisa; induduzo yezindebe zami idedise inhlungu zenu.
6 For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.
Kodwa nxa ngikhuluma, ubuhlungu obukimi kabudedi; loba ngingaze ngithule, kabupheli.
7 God, you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.
Ngeqiniso, Nkulunkulu, usungiqede amandla; usuyitshabalalisile yonke imuli yami.
8 You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me.
Usungibophile sekuyibo ubufakazi balokho; lokucikizeka kwami kuyakhula kungilahla.
9 He has torn me apart in his anger; in his hostility he has gnashed his teeth at me; my enemy pierces me with his fierce look.
UNkulunkulu uyanginxwanela angidlikize ngolaka lwakhe, angigedlele amazinyo; isitha sami singinyonkoloze ngamehlo ahlabayo.
10 People stare at me with their mouths wide open, they slap me on my cheeks to mock me, they crowd around me to attack me.
Abantu bavula imilomo yabo bengihoza; bangimakala esihlathini bengihlambaza babambane bangihlanganyele.
11 God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.
UNkulunkulu usenginikele ebantwini ababi wangiphosela ezandleni zezigangi.
12 I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.
Konke kwakukuhle kimi, kodwa wangibhidliza; wangixhakalaza ngentamo wangichoboza. Usengenze ngaba yinto yakhe yokunenjwa;
13 His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.
abacibi bemtshoko bakhe bangihanqile. Ungiciba izinso zami engelazwelo achithele inyongo yami phansi.
14 Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.
Ungisukela njalonjalo; angidumele njengebutho.
15 I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.
Sengithungele isembatho sesaka emzimbeni wami ngathukuza ibunzi lami othulini.
16 My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,
Ubuso bami sebubomvu ngokukhala, amathunzi anzima ahonqolozela amehlo ami;
17 although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.
kodwa izandla zami kaziluqhelanga udlakela, lomkhuleko wami uhlanzekile.
18 Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.
Awu mhlaba, ungaligqibeli igazi lami; sengathi lokukhala kwami kungaze kwacitshwa lanini!
19 Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.
Lakhathesi ufakazi wami usezulwini; umeli wami uphezulu khonale.
20 My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.
Umeli wami ngumngane wami nxa amehlo ami empompoza inyembezi kuNkulunkulu;
21 I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.
uyamncengela umuntu kuNkulunkulu njengomuntu encengela umngane wakhe.
22 For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.
Kusasele iminyakana engemingaki andubana ngiye lapho kungabuywa khona.”
