Job 12
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
2 Truly — ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.
Ngoba isibili lingabantu, lenhlakanipho izakufa lani.
3 I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
Lami ngilengqondo njengani, kangiphansi kulani. Njalo ngubani ongelazo izinto ezinje?
4 A laughter to his friend I am: 'He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.
Ngiyinhlekisa kumngane wami, obiza kuNkulunkulu amphendule; olungileyo oqondileyo uyinhlekisa.
5 A torch — despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
Uyisibane esidelelekayo emnakanweni wowonwabileyo; ulungele ukutshelela ngonyawo.
6 At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.
Amathente abaphangi alokuthula, labamthukuthelisayo uNkulunkulu bavikelekile, kulowo oletha uNkulunkulu esandleni sakhe.
7 And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.
Kodwa-ke buza khathesi inyamazana, zizakufundisa, lenyoni zamazulu, zizakutshela.
8 Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:
Kumbe khuluma lomhlaba, uzakufundisa, lenhlanzi zolwandle zizakulandisela.
9 'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?
Ngubani ongaziyo phakathi kwakho konke lokhu ukuthi isandla sikaJehova sikwenzile lokhu?
10 In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'
Okusesandleni sakhe umphefumulo wakho konke okuphilayo, lomoya wayo yonke inyama yomuntu.
11 Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
Indlebe kayihloli yini amazwi, njengolwanga luzinambithela ukudla?
12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.
Kwabadala kakhulu kulenhlakanipho, lebudeni bezinsuku kulokuqedisisa.
13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.
Kuye kukhona inhlakanipho lamandla, uleseluleko lokuqedisisa.
14 Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.
Khangela, udiliza, kungabe kusakhiwa; uvalela umuntu, kungabe kusavulwa.
15 Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.
Khangela, uvimbela amanzi, atshe; abesewathuma, agenqule umhlaba.
16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
Kuye kukhona amandla lenhlakanipho; okhohlisiweyo lomkhohlisi bangabakhe.
17 Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.
Ukhupha abeluleki bahambe behlutshulwe, enze abehluleli babe yizithutha.
18 The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.
Uthukulula isibopho samakhosi, abophe umbhinco enkalweni zawo.
19 Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.
Ukhupha abapristi bahambe behlutshulwe, awise abalamandla.
20 Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.
Uphambula inkulumo yabathembekileyo, asuse ukuqedisisa kwabasebekhulile.
21 Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
Uthela ukudelela phezu kweziphathamandla, axegise umbhinco wabalamandla.
22 Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.
Wembula izinto ezijulileyo ezisemnyameni, akhuphele ekukhanyeni ithunzi lokufa.
23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.
Enze izizwe zibe zinkulu, abesezichitha; andise izizwe, abesezisusa.
24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy — no way!
Ususa inhliziyo yenhloko zabantu bomhlaba, aziduhise enkangala engelandlela.
25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.
Ziphumputhe emnyameni kungelakukhanya, uzenza zidiyazele njengodakiweyo.
