Job 29
1 And Job adds to lift up his allegory and says:
UJobe wasebuya ephakamisa isaga sakhe wathi:
2 “Who makes me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God’s preserving me?
Kungathi ngabe nginjengenyangeni zamandulo, njengensukwini uNkulunkulu angigcine ngazo,
3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
lapho isibane sakhe sakhanya phezu kwekhanda lami; ngahamba emnyameni ngokukhanya kwakhe!
4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God on my tent.
Njengoba nganginjalo ensukwini zokuvuthwa kwami, lapho iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwethente lami,
5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Around me—my young ones,
lapho uSomandla wayeseselami, labantwana bami bengiphahlile,
6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me—streams of oil.
lapho ngagezisa izinyathelo zami ngolaza, ledwala langithululela imifula yamafutha!
7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
Lapho ngaphuma ngaya esangweni ngidabula umuzi, ngalungisa isihlalo sami emdangeni;
8 Youths have seen me, and they have been hidden, And the aged have risen—they stood up.
amajaha angibona, acatsha; lamaxhegu asukuma ema;
9 Princes have kept in words, And they place a hand on their mouth.
iziphathamandla zayekela ukukhuluma, zabeka isandla phezu komlomo wazo;
10 The voice of leaders has been hidden, And their tongue has cleaved to the palate.
ilizwi labakhulu lacatsha, lolimi lwabo lwanamathela elwangeni lwabo.
11 For the ear heard, and declares me blessed, And the eye has seen, and testifies [to] me.
Lapho indlebe isizwa yangibusisa, lelihlo libona langifakazela,
12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who has no helper.
ngoba ngakhulula umyanga okhalayo, lentandane, longelamsizi.
13 The blessing of the perishing comes on me, And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.
Isibusiso sobhubhayo sehlele phezu kwami, njalo ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi ihlabele ngentokozo.
14 I have put on righteousness, and it clothes me, My justice as a robe and a crown.
Ngembatha ukulunga, kwangembesa; isahlulelo sami saba njengesembatho lomqhele.
15 I have been eyes to the blind, And I [am] feet to the lame.
Ngangingamehlo koyisiphofu, ngangizinyawo kusiqhuli.
16 I [am] a father to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
Nganginguyise wabayanga, lendaba engingayaziyo ngayihlolisisa.
17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
Ngasengisephula umhlathi womubi, ngamenza alahle impango emazinyweni akhe.
18 And I say, I expire with my nest, And I multiply days as the sand.
Ngasengisithi: Ngizaphela lesidleke sami, ngandise insuku njengetshebetshebe.
19 My root is open to the waters, And dew lodges on my branch.
Impande zami zinabele emanzini, lamazolo alale ubusuku ogatsheni lwami.
20 My glory [is] fresh with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.
Udumo lwami lutsha kimi, ledandili lami laguquka esandleni sami.
21 They have listened to me, Indeed, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
Bangilalela, belindele, bathulela iseluleko sami.
22 After my word they do not change, And my speech drops on them,
Emva kwelizwi lami kabaphendulanga, lelizwi lami lathontela phezu kwabo.
23 And they wait for me as [for] rain, And they have opened wide their mouth [As] for the spring rain.
Bangilindela njengezulu, lomlomo wabo bawukhamisela izulu lokucina.
24 I laugh at them—they give no credence, And do not cause the light of my face to fall.
Lapho ngibahlekela, kabakholwanga, lokukhanya kobuso bami kabakuwiselanga phansi.
25 I choose their way, and sit [as] head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When he comforts mourners.”
Ngakhetha indlela yabo ngahlala ngiyinhloko, ngahlala njengenkosi phakathi kweviyo, njengoduduza abalilayo.
