Job 3
1 After this time Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day.
Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
2 And Job commenced, and said,
UJobe wasephendula wathi:
3 Oh that the day whereon I was born might perish, and the night when it was said, There hath been a male child conceived.
Kalubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo, lobusuku okwathiwa ngalo: Kukhulelwe umntwana wesilisa.
4 May that day be [covered with] darkness; may not God from above inquire for it, and may no light beam upon it.
Lolosuku kalube ngumnyama, uNkulunkulu angalunanzi ephezulu, lokukhanya kungalukhanyisi.
5 Oh that darkness and the shadow of death might defile it; may a cloud rest upon it; may the blackness of the day terrify it.
Umnyama lethunzi lokufa kakuluhlenge, iyezi lihlale phezu kwalo, umnyama welanga ulwesabise.
6 Yon night — let darkness seize upon it; let it not be united to the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the [periods lighted by the] moon.
Lobobusuku, umnyama ububambe, lungathokozi ensukwini zomnyaka, lungezi kunani lezinyanga.
7 Lo, may that night be solitary, let no song of joy occur thereon.
Khangela, lobobusuku kabube yinyumba, umsindo wentokozo ungangeni kubo.
8 Let those denounce it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning cry.
Kababuqalekise abaqalekisi bosuku, abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
9 Let the stars of its twilight be darkened; let it hope for light, and there be none; and let it not behold the eyelids of the morning-dawn;
Zibe mnyama inkanyezi zokusa kwabo, bulindele ukukhanya, kodwa kungabi khona, bungaboni inkophe zokusa.
10 Because God closed not against me the doors of the womb, and thus concealed trouble from my eyes.
Ngoba bungavalanga iminyango yesisu sikamama wami, bungafihlanga usizi emehlweni ami.
11 Why did I not die [the moment I issued] from the womb, and [why] was I not born merely to perish at once?
Kungani ngingafanga kusukela esizalweni, ngiphele ekuphumeni kwami esiswini?
12 Wherefore were knees ready to receive me? and for what purpose were breasts there that I might suck?
Kungani amadolo angandulela? Kungani lamabele ukuthi ngimunye?
13 For now should I be lying still and be quiet; I should sleep: then would I be at rest,
Ngoba khathesi ngabe ngacambalala ngathula, ngalala, khona ngaba lokuphumula,
14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, who build up ruined places for themselves;
kanye lamakhosi labeluleki bomhlaba abazakhela amanxiwa,
15 Or with princes possessing gold, who fill their houses with silver;
kumbe kanye leziphathamandla ezazilegolide ezagcwalisa izindlu zazo ngesiliva.
16 Or as an untimely birth, hidden [from view] I should not exist; as infants that never have seen the light;
Kumbe njengomphunzo ofihliweyo ngingabi khona, njengensane ezingabonanga ukukhanya.
17 There [where] the wicked cease from troubling; and where the exhausted weary are at rest;
Lapho ababi bayekela ukuhlupha, lapho abakhathele ngamandla bephumula.
18 [Where] the prisoners repose together, [and] they hear no more the taskmaster's voice.
Izibotshwa ziyaphumula ndawonye, kazizwa ilizwi lomcindezeli.
19 The small with the great is there, and the servant free from his master.
Omncinyane lomkhulu balapho, lesigqili sikhululekile enkosini yaso.
20 Wherefore giveth He now light to the labor-laden, and life unto the bitter in soul?
Kungani enika ukukhanya kohluphekayo, lempilo kwabalokubaba komphefumulo;
21 Who wait for death, which [cometh] not; and who dig for it sooner than for hidden treasures;
abalindele ukufa, kodwa kungekho, bekugebha kulenotho efihliweyo,
22 Who would rejoice even to exulting, who would be glad could they but find a grave?
abathabayo kakhulu ngentokozo, bajabule lapho bethola ingcwaba?
23 [Why is light given] to a man whose way is hidden, and around whom God hath placed a fence?
Emuntwini yini, ondlela yakhe ifihliwe, uNkulunkulu ambiyeleyo?
24 For before my food cometh my groaning, and like the water are poured forth my loud complaints.
Ngoba ukububula kwami kuza phambi kokudla kwami, lokubhonga kwami kuthululeka njengamanzi.
25 Because what I greatly dreaded is come upon me, and what I apprehended is come unto me.
Ngoba engikwesabayo ngokwesaba sekungehlele, lengilovalo ngakho kufikile kimi.
26 I have had no safety, and no quiet, and no rest; and [now] harrowing trouble is come.
Ngangingahlalisekanga, ngingaphumuli, ngingelakuthula, lohlupho lweza.
