UJobe 13
1 “Amehlo ami asekubonile konke lokhu, indlebe zami zikuzwile zakuqedisisa lokhu.
Lo, all — hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.
2 Elikwaziyo lina lami ngiyakwazi; kalingcono ngalutho kulami.
According to your knowledge I have known — also I. I am not fallen more than you.
3 Kodwa ngiloyisa ukukhuluma loSomandla, ngiphikisane loNkulunkulu ngendaba yami.
Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.
4 Kodwa lina lingigcona ngamanga; lonke lizinyanga ezingelamsebenzi!
And yet, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought — all of you,
5 Thulani lithi zwi lonke! Lokho kungaba yikuhlakanipha kini.
O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
6 Zwanini-ke manje engikutshoyo; lalelani ukuncenga kwezindebe zami.
Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
7 Lingakhuluma okubi limele uNkulunkulu na? Lingamkhulumela inkohliso na?
For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
8 Limtshengisa ukuthi liyabandlulula yini? Yini elimkhulumelayo uNkulunkulu akutshoyo?
His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?
9 Kungalilungela yini nxa engalihlola? Kambe lingamkhohlisa njengoba lingakhohlisa abantu na?
Is [it] good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
10 Ngempela angaligcona nxa lingabe litshengisa ukubandlulula.
He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.
11 Inkazimulo yakhe ingezake ilethuse na? Ukwesabeka kwakhe kungezake kulehlele na?
Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?
12 Izitsho zenu ziyizaga zomlotha; lezivikelo zenu yizivikelo zebumba kuphela.
Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.
13 Thulani ngikhulume mina; kungivelele loba kuyini okuvelayo.
Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?
14 Ngizifakelani engozini na ngiphathe impilo yami ezandleni zami?
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
15 Lanxa engangibulala kodwa ngizakwala ngimethemba; ngizazivikela izindlela zami phambi kwakhe.
Lo, He doth slay me — I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
16 Ngeqiniso lokhu kuzangihlenga, ngoba kakho umuntu ongakholwayo ongasondela kuye!
Also — He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.
17 Ake lilalele kuhle amazwi ami; vulani indlebe zenu lizwe engikutshoyo.
Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.
18 Manje-ke njengoba sengiyilungisile indaba yami, ngiyabona ukuthi ngizakhululwa.
Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.
19 Ngubani kambe ongangethesa icala? Nxa ekhona, ngizathula ngife.
Who [is] he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
20 Akungiphe lezizinto ezimbili nje, Oh Nkulunkulu, lapho-ke angiyikukucatshela:
Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.
21 Sisusele khatshana lami isandla sakho, ukhawule ukungethusa ngokwesabeka kwakho.
Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
22 Ubusungibizela ecaleni, ngizaphendula, kumbe ungiyekele ngikhulume, lawe uphendule.
And call Thou, and I — I answer, Or — I speak, and answer Thou me.
23 Sengenze iziphambeko lezono ezinganani na? Ngitshengisa isiphambeko sami lesono sami.
How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.
24 Kungani ufihla ubuso bakho ungithathe njengesitha sakho?
Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?
25 Uzahluphana lehlamvu eliphetshulwa ngumoya na? Uzaxotshana lomule owomileyo na?
A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
26 Ngoba ubhala izinto ezibuhlungu ngami ungenze ngivune izono zobutsha bami.
For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:
27 Ukhina inyawo zami ngezibopho; ulandelela zonke izindlela zami ngokudweba uphawu ezinyathelweni zezinyawo zami.
And puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,
28 Yikho-ke umuntu ecikizeka njengento ebolileyo, njengesigqoko esidliwe yinondo.”
And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.
