Job 24
1 “For this reason from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.
Kungani izikhathi zingafihlelwanga uSomandla, labamaziyo bengaboni insuku zakhe?
2 They reach the borders, They have taken a drove away violently, Indeed, they do evil.
Bathuthukisa imingcele, baphange imihlambi bayeluse.
3 They lead away the donkey of the fatherless, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,
Baxotsha ubabhemi wezintandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
4 They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.
Baphambula abaswelayo emigwaqweni; abayanga bomhlaba bacatsha ndawonye.
5 Behold, wild donkeys in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself—food for young ones.
Khangelani, bangobabhemi beganga enkangala, baphumela emsebenzini wabo, badinge impango ngovivi; inkangala ibe yikudla kwakhe lokwabantwana.
6 They reap his provender in a field, And they glean the vineyard of the wicked.
Emasimini bavuna ukudla kwakhe, bakhothoze esivinini somubi.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
Balala beze ebusuku bengelasembatho, bengelasigubuzelo emqandweni.
8 From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge—have embraced a rock.
Bamanzi ngezihlambo zezintaba, babambelela edwaleni ngoba bengelasiphephelo.
9 They take away violently The orphan from the breast, And they lay a pledge on the poor.
Bahluthuna intandane ebeleni, bathathe lesibambiso kumyanga.
10 Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry—have taken away a sheaf.
Bahamba beze bengelasigqoko, labalambileyo bathwala isithungo.
11 They make oil between their walls, They have trodden winepresses, and thirst.
Phakathi kwemiduli yabo bahluza amafutha, banyathela izikhamelo zewayini, kodwa bomile.
12 Men groan because of enmity, And the soul of pierced ones cries, And God does not give praise.
Abantu bayabubula besemzini, lomphefumulo wabalimeleyo uyakhala; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababaleli ukungalungi.
13 They have been those rebelling against light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abided in His paths.
Bona baphakathi kwabavukela ukukhanya; kabazazi indlela zakhe, kabahlali emikhondweni yakhe.
14 The murderer rises at the light, He slays the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
Umbulali uyavuka ngovivi, abulale umyanga loswelayo; lebusuku unjengesela.
15 And the eye of an adulterer Has observed the twilight, Saying, No eye beholds me. And he puts the face in secret.
Lelihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa, sisithi: Kakulalihlo elizangibona; sifake isimbombozo ebusweni baso.
16 He has dug in the darkness—houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
Emnyameni ugebha aphutshele ezindlini abaziphawulele zona emini; kabakwazi ukukhanya.
17 When together, morning [is] death-shade to them, When he discerns the terrors of death-shade.
Ngoba ikuseni kanyekanye ilithunzi lokufa kubo; uba besaziwa bakuzesabiso zethunzi lokufa.
18 He [is] light on the face of the waters, Their portion is vilified in the earth, He does not turn the way of vineyards.
Ulula phezu kobuso bamanzi; isabelo sabo siqalekisiwe emhlabeni; kaphendukeli endleleni yezivini.
Imbalela lokutshisa kuqeda amanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngokunjalo ingcwaba abonileyo. (Sheol h7585)
20 The womb forgets him, The worm sweetens [on] him, He is remembered no more, And wickedness is broken as a tree.
Isizalo sizamkhohlwa, impethu izammunya, engabe esakhunjulwa, lenkohlakalo izakwephulwa njengesihlahla.
21 Treating evil the barren [who] does not bear, And he does no good [to] the widow,
Udla ngokuminza inyumba engazaliyo, kamenzeli okuhle umfelokazi.
22 And [God] has drawn the mighty by His power, He rises, and none believes in life.
Njalo udonsa abalamandla ngamandla akhe, uyavuka, njalo kungabi lolethemba lempilo.
23 He gives to him confidence, and he is supported, And His eyes [are] on their ways.
Uyamnika ukuze alondolozeke, eseyama kukho, kodwa amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zabo.
24 They were high [for] a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. They are shut up as all [others], And cut off as the head of an ear of grain.
Bayaphakanyiswa okwesikhatshana, babesebengasekho, behliselwa phansi, bavalelwe njengaye wonke, bayaqunywa njengesihloko sesikhwebu.
25 And if not now, who proves me a liar, And makes my word of nothing?”
Uba-ke kungenjalo, ngubani ongangenza umqambimanga, enze inkulumo yami ibe yize?
