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].
Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
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 enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
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.
Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
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].
Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
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, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
6 The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
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.
Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
8 Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
9 Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
10 They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
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].
Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
12 “But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
13 Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali 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!’
Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
15 [People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
16 Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
17 It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
18 Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
19 The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
20 “So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
21 No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
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].’
Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
23 God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
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 yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
25 When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
26 and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
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).
Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
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.’”
Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
