Job 31
1 I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
“Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
nxa izinyathelo zami zike zaphambuka endleleni, nxa inhliziyo yami ikhokhelwe ngamehlo ami, noma kumbe izandla zami zike zangcoliswa,
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Yena lowo owangenzayo esibelethweni kabenzanga labo na? Kasuye yini yena kanye owasenzayo sonke phakathi kwezisu zabomama na?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb; )
kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,
22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
(Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
