Job 28
1 “It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
Kulomgodi wesiliva lendawo lapho okucengwa khona igolide.
2 People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
Insimbi ithathwa emhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa emanyeleni.
3 Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
Umuntu uyawuxotsha umnyama; uguduza ezingoxweni eziphansi kude edinga amanyele emnyameni othe bhuqe.
4 They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
Khatshana kwezindawo zabantu ugebha umgodi, ezindaweni lapho okungafiki nyawo lwamuntu; khatshana kwabantu uyalenga, azunguzeke.
5 Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
Umhlaba, okuphuma kuwo ukudla, uyaguquka ngaphansi ingathi utshiswe ngomlilo;
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
amasafire amatshe amahle ayaphuma emadwaleni, uthuli lwawo lugcwele igolide.
7 [Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
Kakukho nyoni edla inyama eyaziyo leyondlela efihlekileyo, kakulalihlo laluphi ukhozi oselwake lwayibona.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
Izilo ezizithembileyo kazilubeki unyawo kuyo, njalo kakulasilwane esizingela khona.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
Isandla somuntu yiso esihlasela idwala eliyinsengetshe siveze obala impande zezintaba.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
Uyaligubha idwala angene; ilihlo lakhe liwabone wonke amagugu alo.
11 They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
Uyathungatha lapho okudabuka khona imifula aveze obala izinto ezifihlekileyo.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Kodwa ukuhlakanipha kungafunyanwa ngaphi na? Kuhlala ngaphi na ukuzwisisa?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
Umuntu kakuzwisisi ukuqakatheka kwakho; kakufunyanwa elizweni labaphilayo.
14 [It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
Phansi ekujuleni kuthi, “Kakukho kimi”; ulwandle luthi, “Kangilakho mina.”
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide elicolekileyo, njalo lentengo yakho ingeke yalinganiswa ngesiliva.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide lase-Ofiri, loba nge-onikisi kumbe isafire.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Kungazake kulinganiswe legolide loba amatshe akhazimulayo, njalo kakuzuzwa ngemiceciso yegolide.
18 Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
Amatshe amahle ekhorali lejaspa lawo kawabalwa lapha; intengo yokuhlakanipha ingaphezulu kwamarubhi.
19 The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
Ithophazi yaseKhushi ngeke ilinganiswe lakho; ngeke kuthengwe langegolide elicolekileyo.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Pho kuvela ngaphi ukuhlakanipha na? Kuhlala ngaphi ukuzwisisa?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
Kufihliwe emehlweni ento yonke ephilayo, kucatshisiwe lakuzo izinyoni zasemoyeni.
22 [It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
INcithakalo loKufa kuthi, “Amahungahunga akho yiwo kuphela esiwezwayo.”
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
UNkulunkulu uyayizwisisa indlela yakho njalo nguye yedwa okwaziyo lapho okuhlala khona,
24 because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
ngoba uyayikhangela imikhawulo yomhlaba akubone konke okungaphansi kwamazulu.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
Wathi emisa umfutho womoya, elinganisa isimo samanzi,
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
wathi ebeka umthetho wezulu elinayo lendlela yezulu elilesiphepho,
27 at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
wasekukhangela ukuhlakanipha wakuhlola butsha; wakukholwa wakuqinisa, wakulinga ukuthi kuqinile.
28 And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
Wathi emuntwini, “Ukumesaba uThixo yikho ukuhlakanipha, lokuxwaya ububi yikho ukuzwisisa.”
