Job 28
1 For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.
Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
2 For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.
Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
3 He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone [is] darkness, and the shadow of death.
Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
4 There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from [among] men.
Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
5 [As for] the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.
Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and [her] dust [supplies] man with gold.
Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
7 [There is] a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:
Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.
Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
9 He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp [rock], and turned up mountains by the roots:
Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
10 and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.
Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
11 And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
14 The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.
Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
17 Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.
Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
18 Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do you esteem wisdom above the most precious things.
Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.
Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
20 Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
21 It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.
Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
22 Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.
Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
23 God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.
UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
24 For he surveys the whole [earth] under heaven, knowing the things in the earth:
Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
25 all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.
Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
26 When he made [them], thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.
Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
27 Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it [and] traced it out.
Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.
Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
