Job 38
1 Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
5 Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
6 Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
8 And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
9 When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
10 When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;
Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
11 And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
12 Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
13 That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
14 It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
15 But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
16 Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
17 Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
18 Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
19 Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
20 That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
21 Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
22 Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, —Against the day of battle and war?
engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
24 What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
25 Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
26 To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
30 The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
32 Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
36 Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
37 Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
38 When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
39 Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
40 When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
