Job 21
1 Then Job answered,
UJobe wasephendula wathi:
2 "Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
“Lalelani kuhle amazwi ami; lokhu akube yinduduzo elingipha yona.
3 Allow me, and I also will speak; After I have spoken, mock on.
Ake lingibekezelele nxa ngisakhuluma, ngithi nxa sengikhulumile liklolode.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn't I be impatient?
Ukusola kwami kuqonde umuntu yini? Ngingayekelelani ukucunuka pho?
5 Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
Ngikhangelani, lizamangala; vulani imilomo yenu ngezandla.
6 When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
Nxa ngikhumbula ngalokhu ngitshaywa luvalo; ngizwa umzimba wami uqhaqhazela.
7 "Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
Kungani ababi bephila impilo ende, baluphale nje amandla abo esanda?
8 Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
Babona abantwababo bezinza benamile, inzalo yabo layo beyikhangele.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Imizi yabo ihlezi kayilakwesaba; induku kaNkulunkulu kayikho phezu kwabo.
10 Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and do not miscarry.
Inkunzi zabo zikhuthele ziyazala; amankomokazi abo azala kuhle kawaphunzi.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
Abantwababo bayazihambela njengomhlambi; izingane zabo ziyazigidela zichelesile.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
Bayahlabela betshaya izigubhu lamachacho; bayazithokozisa ngomsindo wemiqangala.
Yonke iminyaka yabo ngeyokuphumelela baze bayongena egodini belokuthula. (Sheol h7585)
14 They tell God, 'Depart from us, for we do not want to know about your ways.
Kodwa bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! Kasifisi ukuzazi izindlela zakho.
15 What is Shaddai, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?'
Ungubani yena uSomandla ofuna ukuthi simkhonze na? Sizazuzani nxa sikhuleka kuye na?’
16 Look, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Kodwa ukuphumelela kwabo kakukho ezandleni zabo, ngakho kangisondeli ezelulekweni zababi.
17 "How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that he distributes sorrows in his anger?
Kodwa kukangaki na isibane sababi sicinywa? Kukangaki besehlelwa ngamabhadi na, abawabelwa nguNkulunkulu ezondile?
18 How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
Kukangaki besiba njengomule emoyeni na, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa yisivunguzane?
19 You say, 'God lays up his iniquity for his children.' Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
Kuthiwa, ‘UNkulunkulu ulomba isijeziso somuntu asibekele amadodana akhe.’ Kajezise yena umuntu ngokwakhe ukuze akwazi!
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of Shaddai.
Amehlo akhe kawakubone ukuchithwa kwakhe; kalunathe ulaka lukaSomandla.
21 For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
Ngoba uvele uzihlupha ngani ngemuli avele ezayitshiya nxa izinyanga zakhe azabelweyo seziphelile na?
22 "Shall any teach God knowledge, seeing he judges those who are high?
Kambe ukhona ongafundisa uNkulunkulu ulwazi, njengoba yena esahlulela labaphezulu na?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
Umuntu uyafa ephilile kuhle, kukuhle konke ekhululekile,
24 His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
umzimba wakhe uzimukile, amathambo akhe egcwele umnkantsho.
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
Omunye ufa elobuhlungu emphefumulweni wakhe, evele engakaze akholise lutho oluhle.
26 They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
Bobabili balaliswe ndawonye eceleni komunye othulini, impethu zinyakaze phezu kwabo bobabili.
27 "Look, I know your thoughts, the devices with which you would wrong me.
Ngiyazi kamhlophe ukuthi licabangani, amacebo elidinga ukungilimaza ngawo.
28 For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?'
Lithi, ‘Ingaphi-ke manje indlu yesikhulu, amathente okwakuhlala kuwo abantu ababi?’
29 Haven't you asked wayfaring men? Do you not know their evidences,
Kalikaze libuze labo abahambayo na? Kalize lananzelela izinto abazilandisayo,
30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
ukuthi umuntu omubi uyaphepha ngosuku lokubhujiswa na, ukuthi uyakhululwa ngosuku lwesiphithiphithi?
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? Who shall repay him what he has done?
Kambe ngubani omtshela ngobubi bakhe ebusweni bakhe na? Ngubani ophindiselayo ngalokho akwenzileyo na?
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men shall keep watch over the tomb.
Uthwalelwa engcwabeni, lilindwe ingcwaba lakhe ngemfanelo.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him. All men shall draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
Inhlabathi esigodini leso imnandi kuye; bonke abantu bayamlandela, banengi kakhulu njalo abahamba kuqala kulaye.
34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, seeing that in your answers there remains only falsehood?"
Pho-ke lingangiduduza njani likhuluma ize nje? Akusalanga lutho elilutshoyo ngaphandle kwenkohliso.”
