Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
2 “Who is this who questions my wisdom by talking so ignorantly?
Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
3 Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have such knowledge!
Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
5 Who decided its dimensions? Don't you know? Who stretched out a measuring line?
Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
6 What do its foundations rest upon? Who laid its cornerstone,
Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
7 when the stars of the morning sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
8 Who laid down the boundaries of the sea when it was born?
Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
9 Who clothed it with clouds, and wrapped it in a blanket of deep darkness?
lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
10 I set its limits, marking its borders.
Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
11 I said, ‘You may come here, but no farther. Here is where your proud waves stop.’
ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
12 During your lifetime, have you ever ordered the morning to begin?
Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
13 Have you ever told the dawn where to appear that it might take hold of the corners of the earth and shake the wicked out?
ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
14 The earth is changed like clay under a seal; its features stand out like a crumpled garment.
Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
15 The ‘light’ of the wicked is taken away from them; their acts of violence are stopped.
Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
16 Have you entered the sources of the sea? Have you explored their hidden depths?
Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
17 Have you been shown where the gates of death are? Have you seen the gates of utter darkness?
Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
18 Do you know how far the earth extends? Tell me if you know all this!
Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
19 In which direction does light live? Where does darkness dwell?
Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
20 Can you take them home? Do you know the way to where they live?
ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
21 Of course you know, because you were already born then! You've lived so long!
Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
22 Have you been to where the snow is kept? Have you seen where the hail is held?
Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
23 I have stored them up for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle.
engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
24 Do you know the way to where light comes from, or to where the east wind blows over the earth?
Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
25 Who cuts a channel for the rain to flow? Who creates a path for the thunderbolt?
Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
26 Who brings rain to an uninhabited land, to a desert where nobody lives,
ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 to water a parched wasteland to make the green grass grow?
ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
28 Does the rain have a father? Who was the father of the dewdrops?
Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
29 Who was the mother of ice? Does the frost of the air have a mother?
Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
30 Water turns into rock-hard ice; its surface freezes solid.
Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
31 Can you tie together the stars of the Pleiades? Can you loosen the belt of the Orion constellation?
Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
32 Can you guide the stars of Mazzaroth at the right time? Can you direct the Great Bear constellation and its other stars?
Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you apply them to the earth?
Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
34 Can you shout to the clouds and command them to pour rain down on you?
Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
35 Can you send out bolts of lightning and direct them, so that they can answer you saying, ‘Here we are’?
Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
36 Who has placed wisdom inside people? Who has given understanding to the mind?
Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
37 Who is clever enough to count the clouds? Who can turn heaven's water jars on their sides
Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
38 when the dust has baked into a solid mass?
lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
39 Can you hunt prey for the lion? Can you feed the lion cubs
Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
40 as they crouch down in their dens and lie in wait in the bushes?
lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God, weak from starvation?
Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
