Job 21
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
UJobe wasephendula wathi:
2 Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
“Lalelani kuhle amazwi ami; lokhu akube yinduduzo elingipha yona.
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
Ake lingibekezelele nxa ngisakhuluma, ngithi nxa sengikhulumile liklolode.
4 I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
Ukusola kwami kuqonde umuntu yini? Ngingayekelelani ukucunuka pho?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
Ngikhangelani, lizamangala; vulani imilomo yenu ngezandla.
6 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
Nxa ngikhumbula ngalokhu ngitshaywa luvalo; ngizwa umzimba wami uqhaqhazela.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
Kungani ababi bephila impilo ende, baluphale nje amandla abo esanda?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
Babona abantwababo bezinza benamile, inzalo yabo layo beyikhangele.
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
Imizi yabo ihlezi kayilakwesaba; induku kaNkulunkulu kayikho phezu kwabo.
10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
Inkunzi zabo zikhuthele ziyazala; amankomokazi abo azala kuhle kawaphunzi.
11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
Abantwababo bayazihambela njengomhlambi; izingane zabo ziyazigidela zichelesile.
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
Bayahlabela betshaya izigubhu lamachacho; bayazithokozisa ngomsindo wemiqangala.
Yonke iminyaka yabo ngeyokuphumelela baze bayongena egodini belokuthula. (Sheol h7585)
14 And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
Kodwa bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! Kasifisi ukuzazi izindlela zakho.
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
Ungubani yena uSomandla ofuna ukuthi simkhonze na? Sizazuzani nxa sikhuleka kuye na?’
16 Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
Kodwa ukuphumelela kwabo kakukho ezandleni zabo, ngakho kangisondeli ezelulekweni zababi.
17 How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
Kodwa kukangaki na isibane sababi sicinywa? Kukangaki besehlelwa ngamabhadi na, abawabelwa nguNkulunkulu ezondile?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
Kukangaki besiba njengomule emoyeni na, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa yisivunguzane?
19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
Kuthiwa, ‘UNkulunkulu ulomba isijeziso somuntu asibekele amadodana akhe.’ Kajezise yena umuntu ngokwakhe ukuze akwazi!
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
Amehlo akhe kawakubone ukuchithwa kwakhe; kalunathe ulaka lukaSomandla.
21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
Ngoba uvele uzihlupha ngani ngemuli avele ezayitshiya nxa izinyanga zakhe azabelweyo seziphelile na?
22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
Kambe ukhona ongafundisa uNkulunkulu ulwazi, njengoba yena esahlulela labaphezulu na?
23 This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
Umuntu uyafa ephilile kuhle, kukuhle konke ekhululekile,
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
umzimba wakhe uzimukile, amathambo akhe egcwele umnkantsho.
25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
Omunye ufa elobuhlungu emphefumulweni wakhe, evele engakaze akholise lutho oluhle.
26 Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
Bobabili balaliswe ndawonye eceleni komunye othulini, impethu zinyakaze phezu kwabo bobabili.
27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
Ngiyazi kamhlophe ukuthi licabangani, amacebo elidinga ukungilimaza ngawo.
28 For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
Lithi, ‘Ingaphi-ke manje indlu yesikhulu, amathente okwakuhlala kuwo abantu ababi?’
29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
Kalikaze libuze labo abahambayo na? Kalize lananzelela izinto abazilandisayo,
30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
ukuthi umuntu omubi uyaphepha ngosuku lokubhujiswa na, ukuthi uyakhululwa ngosuku lwesiphithiphithi?
31 Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
Kambe ngubani omtshela ngobubi bakhe ebusweni bakhe na? Ngubani ophindiselayo ngalokho akwenzileyo na?
32 And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
Uthwalelwa engcwabeni, lilindwe ingcwaba lakhe ngemfanelo.
33 Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
Inhlabathi esigodini leso imnandi kuye; bonke abantu bayamlandela, banengi kakhulu njalo abahamba kuqala kulaye.
34 And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
Pho-ke lingangiduduza njani likhuluma ize nje? Akusalanga lutho elilutshoyo ngaphandle kwenkohliso.”
