Job 29
1 And Job again took up his parable, and said:
UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
“Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
3 When His lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness;
lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the converse of God was upon my tent;
Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were about me;
lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
6 When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, when I prepared my seat in the broad place,
Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the aged rose up and stood;
amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth;
amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me;
Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless also, that had none to help him.
ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; my justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
16 I was a father to the needy; and the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.
Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
17 And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
18 Then I said: 'I shall die with my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the phoenix;
Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
19 My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew shall lie all night upon my branch;
Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
20 My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in my hand.'
Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
22 After my words they spoke not again; and my speech dropped upon them.
Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.
Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
