Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
“Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.
Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
6 Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? 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 sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb;
Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
10 And prescribed for it My decree, and set bars and doors,
lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
11 And said: 'Thus far shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed'?
lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place;
Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment.
Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
15 But from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken.
Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
18 Hast thou surveyed unto the breadths of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;
Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
21 Thou knowest it, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
22 Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
24 By what way is the light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
25 Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, or a way for the lightning of the thunder;
Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
30 The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
31 Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
32 Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her sons?
Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee: 'Here we are'?
Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
38 When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
41 Who provideth for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food?
Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
