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 answer thou me.
Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
6 Whereupon are 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 brake forth, as if it had 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 brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
11 And said, Hitherto 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; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? 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 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures 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, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, 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 hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set 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 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 heart?
Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill 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 food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.
Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
