Job 31
1 I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.
kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;
Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.
9 If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,
10 Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.
umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.
13 If I despised the cause of my male or female servant, when they contended with me;
Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;
kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb; )
(ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gained much;
Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;
26 If I have beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.
29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:
Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;
30 Neither have I allowed my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;
31 If the men of my tent have not said, O that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.
33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:
Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.
35 O that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.
Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.
37 I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.
Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.
38 If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;
Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,
39 If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:
uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.
