Job 29
1 Job again took up his parable, and said,
UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
2 "Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
“Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
4 as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,
Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
5 when Shaddai was yet with me, and my children were around me,
lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
7 when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.
Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.
amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
9 The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:
Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
12 Because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had none to help him,
ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
13 the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.
Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
16 I was a father to the needy. The cause of him who I did not know, I searched out.
Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
17 I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.
Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
19 My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
20 My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'
Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
21 "Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
22 After my words they did not speak again. My speech fell on them.
Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
23 They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They did not reject the light of my face.
Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
