Job 31
1 A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?
“Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
2 And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
3 Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
4 Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 [And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
6 Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,
uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
7 If my step have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have cleaved to 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 another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.
lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
9 If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
10 Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
11 For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
12 For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
13 If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
14 What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could I answer him?
ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
15 Did not he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same 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 ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
17 Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )
kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
19 If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
21 If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,
22 Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
23 For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
24 If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
25 If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;
nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
26 If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
27 And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:
yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.
lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
29 If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —
Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
30 But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —
kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
31 If the men of my tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
32 In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
33 If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
34 Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go out of the door; —
ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
35 Oh who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —
(Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
36 Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
37 The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—
Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
38 If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
39 If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
40 Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
