< UJobe 17 >
1 “Umoya wami udabukile, insuku zami ziqunyiwe, ithuna lingimelele.
“My spirit has been destroyed, My days extinguished—graves [are] for me.
2 Impela abaklolodayo bangihanqile; amehlo ami asehlezi elinde ulaka lwabo.
If not—mockeries [are] with me. And my eye lodges in their provocations.
3 Ngipha, Oh Nkulunkulu, lesosibambiso osifunayo. Kambe ngubani omunye ongangenzela lesosibambiso na?
Now place my pledge with You; Who is he that strikes hand with me?
4 Usuzivalile ingqondo zabo kabasazwisisi; ngakho kawuzukubayekela bagiye.
For You have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore You do not exalt them.
5 Nxa umuntu angaphika umngane wakhe ukuze ahlawulwe, amehlo abantwabakhe azafiphala.
For a portion he shows friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
6 UNkulunkulu usengenze ngaba yisiga ebantwini bonke, umuntu okhafulelwa ngabanye emehlweni.
And He set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And I am a wonder before them.
7 Amehlo ami asethundubele ngosizi; umdumbu wami wonke usuyisithunzi nje.
And my eye is dim from sorrow, And my members—all of them—as a shadow.
8 Abantu abaqotho kuyabanenga lokhu; abangelacala bayacaphuka ngabangakholwayo.
The upright are astonished at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the profane.
9 Kungenani, abalungileyo bazabambelela ezindleleni zabo, kuthi labo abalezandla ezihlanzekileyo baqine.
And the righteous lays hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands adds strength.
10 Kodwa khathesi lina lonke ake lizame futhi! Kangiboni loyedwa ohlakaniphileyo kini.
But please return and come in, all of you, And I do not find a wise man among you.
11 Sezidlule insuku zami, amacebo ami asedilikile, kunjalo lezifiso zenhliziyo yami.
My days have passed by, My plans have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!
12 Lababantu bathatha ubusuku njengemini; bathi bebona ubumnyama bathi, ‘Ukukhanya sekusondele.’
They appoint night for day, Light [is] near because of darkness.
13 Nxa ikhaya engilithembileyo lilingcwaba kuphela, nxa ngisendlala umbheda wami emnyameni, (Sheol )
If I wait—Sheol [is] my house, In darkness I have spread out my bed. (Sheol )
14 nxa ngisithi ekuboleni, ‘Baba,’ ngithi empethwini, ‘Mama’ kumbe ‘Dadewethu,’
To corruption I have called: You [are] my father. To the worm: My mother and my sister.
15 pho lingaphi ithemba lami na? Ngubani ongabona ithemba ngami?
And where [is] my hope now? Indeed, my hope, who beholds it?
16 Kuzakwehlela emasangweni okufa na? Sizakwehlela ndawonye othulini na?” (Sheol )
You go down [to] the parts of Sheol, If we may rest together on the dust.” (Sheol )