Job 29
1 Job spoke again,
UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
2 “I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
“Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
3 During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
4 At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
5 Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
6 [My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
7 “Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
8 and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
9 The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
10 and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
11 When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
12 because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
13 Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
14 I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
15 [It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
16 I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
17 My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
18 “At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
19 I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
20 People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
21 “When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
22 After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
23 They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
24 When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
25 I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
