Job 12
1 Then responded Job, and said: —
Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
2 Of a truth, ye, are the people, and, with you, wisdom, will die.
Ngoba isibili lingabantu, lenhlakanipho izakufa lani.
3 I also, have a mind like you, I, fall not short, of you, But who hath not such things as these?
Lami ngilengqondo njengani, kangiphansi kulani. Njalo ngubani ongelazo izinto ezinje?
4 A laughing-stock to one’s neighbour, do I become, one who hath called upon GOD and he hath answered him! A laughing-stock—a righteous man without blame!
Ngiyinhlekisa kumngane wami, obiza kuNkulunkulu amphendule; olungileyo oqondileyo uyinhlekisa.
5 For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!
Uyisibane esidelelekayo emnakanweni wowonwabileyo; ulungele ukutshelela ngonyawo.
6 At peace are the tents that belong to the spoilers, and there is security to them who provoke GOD, To him who bringeth a god in his hand.
Amathente abaphangi alokuthula, labamthukuthelisayo uNkulunkulu bavikelekile, kulowo oletha uNkulunkulu esandleni sakhe.
7 But, in very deed, ask, I pray thee, the beasts, and they will teach thee, and the bird of the heavens, and it will tell thee;
Kodwa-ke buza khathesi inyamazana, zizakufundisa, lenyoni zamazulu, zizakutshela.
8 Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
Kumbe khuluma lomhlaba, uzakufundisa, lenhlanzi zolwandle zizakulandisela.
9 Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?
Ngubani ongaziyo phakathi kwakho konke lokhu ukuthi isandla sikaJehova sikwenzile lokhu?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the flesh of men.
Okusesandleni sakhe umphefumulo wakho konke okuphilayo, lomoya wayo yonke inyama yomuntu.
11 Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?
Indlebe kayihloli yini amazwi, njengolwanga luzinambithela ukudla?
12 In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:
Kwabadala kakhulu kulenhlakanipho, lebudeni bezinsuku kulokuqedisisa.
13 With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain counsel and understanding.
Kuye kukhona inhlakanipho lamandla, uleseluleko lokuqedisisa.
14 Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:
Khangela, udiliza, kungabe kusakhiwa; uvalela umuntu, kungabe kusavulwa.
15 Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:
Khangela, uvimbela amanzi, atshe; abesewathuma, agenqule umhlaba.
16 With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.
Kuye kukhona amandla lenhlakanipho; okhohlisiweyo lomkhohlisi bangabakhe.
17 Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
Ukhupha abeluleki bahambe behlutshulwe, enze abehluleli babe yizithutha.
18 The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:
Uthukulula isibopho samakhosi, abophe umbhinco enkalweni zawo.
19 Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:
Ukhupha abapristi bahambe behlutshulwe, awise abalamandla.
20 Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:
Uphambula inkulumo yabathembekileyo, asuse ukuqedisisa kwabasebekhulile.
21 Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:
Uthela ukudelela phezu kweziphathamandla, axegise umbhinco wabalamandla.
22 Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:
Wembula izinto ezijulileyo ezisemnyameni, akhuphele ekukhanyeni ithunzi lokufa.
23 Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:
Enze izizwe zibe zinkulu, abesezichitha; andise izizwe, abesezisusa.
24 Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:
Ususa inhliziyo yenhloko zabantu bomhlaba, aziduhise enkangala engelandlela.
25 They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.
Ziphumputhe emnyameni kungelakukhanya, uzenza zidiyazele njengodakiweyo.
