Job 38
1 Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
“Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
5 Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
6 Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
8 And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
9 When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
10 When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;
lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
11 And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
12 Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
13 That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
14 It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
15 But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
16 Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
17 Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
18 Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
19 Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
20 That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
21 Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
22 Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, —Against the day of battle and war?
engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
24 What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
25 Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
26 To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
30 The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
32 Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
36 Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
37 Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
38 When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
39 Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
40 When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
