UJobe 14
1 “Umuntu ozelwe ngumfazi ulensuku ezilutshwane njalo ezigcwele inhlupho.
Man, that is born of woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 Uyaqhakaza njengeluba aphinde abune; njengesithunzi esithi tshazi, akemi.
He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Onjalo ungala ulokhu umkhangele na? Ungamisa phambi kwakho umthonisise na?
And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
4 Ngubani ongaveza okuhlambulukileyo kokungcolileyo na? Kakho!
Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.
5 Insuku zomuntu zimisiwe; uzibekile izinyanga zokuphila kwakhe wabeka lemikhawulo angeke ayeqe.
Seeing that his days are determined, And the number of his months, with thee, And that thou hast appointed him bounds which he cannot pass,
6 Ngakho-ke myekele ungazihluphi ngaye, aze aqede lesosikhathi sakhe njengomuntu oqhatshiweyo.
O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!
7 Kungaba lethemba ngesihlahla; singaganyulwa siyahluma njalo, amahlumela aso kawayikwehluleka ukukhula.
For there is hope for a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;
8 Impande zaso zingaguga phansi emhlabathini lesiphunzi saso sife emhlabathini,
Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 kodwa singezwa amanzi siyahluma sikhuphe ingatsha njengesihlahla esitsha.
Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
10 Kodwa umuntu uyafa alaliswe phansi; uphefumula okokucina angabe esabakhona.
But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
11 Njengamanzi esitsha olwandle lanjengomfula ucitsha amanzi wome qha,
The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth up;
12 ngokunjalo umuntu ulala phansi angabe esavuka; kuze kutshabalale amazulu abantu kabayikuvuka kumbe baphatshanyiswe ebuthongweni babo.
So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his sleep.
13 Kube uyangifihla ethuneni ungithukuze ulaka lwakho luze ludlule! Kube ungibekela isikhathi ube usungikhumbula! (Sheol h7585)
O that thou wouldst hide me in the under-world! That thou wouldst conceal me till thy wrath be past! That thou wouldst appoint me a time, and then remember me! (Sheol h7585)
14 Umuntu angafa uphinde aphile na? Zonke insuku zokutshikatshika kwami ngizalindela isikhathi sokuyekelwa kwami.
If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.
15 Uzabiza lami ngizasabela; uzasifisa lesosidalwa esenziwa yizandla zakho.
Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 Ngeqiniso lapho uzabala izinyathelo zami kodwa kawuyikulandelela izono zami.
But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
17 Iziphambeko zami zizananyekwa emgodleni; uzasigubuzela isono sami.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18 Kodwa njengentaba ikhumuzeka ize ibhidlike, lanjengedwala ligudluka endaweni yalo,
As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;
19 njengamanzi awagubhayo amatshe lezikhukhula zikhukhula umhlabathi, kanjalo uyalibhidliza ithemba lomuntu.
As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Umehlula kanye angaphindi abekhona, adlule; uyabuguqula ubuso bakho umxotshe.
Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 Nxa amadodana akhe ezuza udumo, kawakwazi; nxa izizukulwane zakhe zisehliswa, kazikuboni.
His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
22 Bezwa kuphela ubuhlungu bemizimba yabo bazikhalele bona.”
But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
