Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
“Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
2 Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
7 if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my 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 others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
9 If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
13 And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
14 what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.
Yena lowo owangenzayo esibelethweni kabenzanga labo na? Kasuye yini yena kanye owasenzayo sonke phakathi kwezisu zabomama na?
16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
18 (for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
21 if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,
22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
23 For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
25 and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
26 (do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )
nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
28 let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
31 And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
32 for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
34 (for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
35 (Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
(Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
39 and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:
nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
