Job 29
1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
UJobe wasebuya ephakamisa isaga sakhe wathi:
2 O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;
Kungathi ngabe nginjengenyangeni zamandulo, njengensukwini uNkulunkulu angigcine ngazo,
3 When his lamp shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through darkness!
lapho isibane sakhe sakhanya phezu kwekhanda lami; ngahamba emnyameni ngokukhanya kwakhe!
4 As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
Njengoba nganginjalo ensukwini zokuvuthwa kwami, lapho iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwethente lami,
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
lapho uSomandla wayeseselami, labantwana bami bengiphahlile,
6 When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
lapho ngagezisa izinyathelo zami ngolaza, ledwala langithululela imifula yamafutha!
7 When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,
Lapho ngaphuma ngaya esangweni ngidabula umuzi, ngalungisa isihlalo sami emdangeni;
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.
amajaha angibona, acatsha; lamaxhegu asukuma ema;
9 The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.
iziphathamandla zayekela ukukhuluma, zabeka isandla phezu komlomo wazo;
10 The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
ilizwi labakhulu lacatsha, lolimi lwabo lwanamathela elwangeni lwabo.
11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.
Lapho indlebe isizwa yangibusisa, lelihlo libona langifakazela,
12 For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.
ngoba ngakhulula umyanga okhalayo, lentandane, longelamsizi.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, And I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy.
Isibusiso sobhubhayo sehlele phezu kwami, njalo ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi ihlabele ngentokozo.
14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.
Ngembatha ukulunga, kwangembesa; isahlulelo sami saba njengesembatho lomqhele.
15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;
Ngangingamehlo koyisiphofu, ngangizinyawo kusiqhuli.
16 I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;
Nganginguyise wabayanga, lendaba engingayaziyo ngayihlolisisa.
17 And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
Ngasengisephula umhlathi womubi, ngamenza alahle impango emazinyweni akhe.
18 Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand.
Ngasengisithi: Ngizaphela lesidleke sami, ngandise insuku njengetshebetshebe.
19 My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.
Impande zami zinabele emanzini, lamazolo alale ubusuku ogatsheni lwami.
20 My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”
Udumo lwami lutsha kimi, ledandili lami laguquka esandleni sami.
21 To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
Bangilalela, belindele, bathulela iseluleko sami.
22 To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.
Emva kwelizwi lami kabaphendulanga, lelizwi lami lathontela phezu kwabo.
23 Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
Bangilindela njengezulu, lomlomo wabo bawukhamisela izulu lokucina.
24 If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
Lapho ngibahlekela, kabakholwanga, lokukhanya kobuso bami kabakuwiselanga phansi.
25 When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.
Ngakhetha indlela yabo ngahlala ngiyinhloko, ngahlala njengenkosi phakathi kweviyo, njengoduduza abalilayo.
