Job 29
1 So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
2 Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
“Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
3 When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
4 As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:
Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
5 When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
6 When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
7 When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.
Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
8 The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
9 The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
10 The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
11 And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
12 For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.
Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
14 I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
15 I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
16 I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
17 I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
18 Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
19 For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
20 My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
21 Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
22 After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
23 And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
24 If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
25 I appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.
Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
