UJobe 21
1 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
Then Job answered,
2 “Lalelani kuhle amazwi ami; lokhu akube yinduduzo elingipha yona.
“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
3 Ake lingibekezelele nxa ngisakhuluma, ngithi nxa sengikhulumile liklolode.
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
4 Ukusola kwami kuqonde umuntu yini? Ngingayekelelani ukucunuka pho?
As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Ngikhangelani, lizamangala; vulani imilomo yenu ngezandla.
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
6 Nxa ngikhumbula ngalokhu ngitshaywa luvalo; ngizwa umzimba wami uqhaqhazela.
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Kungani ababi bephila impilo ende, baluphale nje amandla abo esanda?
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8 Babona abantwababo bezinza benamile, inzalo yabo layo beyikhangele.
Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
9 Imizi yabo ihlezi kayilakwesaba; induku kaNkulunkulu kayikho phezu kwabo.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Inkunzi zabo zikhuthele ziyazala; amankomokazi abo azala kuhle kawaphunzi.
Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
11 Abantwababo bayazihambela njengomhlambi; izingane zabo ziyazigidela zichelesile.
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
12 Bayahlabela betshaya izigubhu lamachacho; bayazithokozisa ngomsindo wemiqangala.
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 Kodwa bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! Kasifisi ukuzazi izindlela zakho.
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
15 Ungubani yena uSomandla ofuna ukuthi simkhonze na? Sizazuzani nxa sikhuleka kuye na?’
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
16 Kodwa ukuphumelela kwabo kakukho ezandleni zabo, ngakho kangisondeli ezelulekweni zababi.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 Kodwa kukangaki na isibane sababi sicinywa? Kukangaki besehlelwa ngamabhadi na, abawabelwa nguNkulunkulu ezondile?
“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
18 Kukangaki besiba njengomule emoyeni na, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa yisivunguzane?
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
19 Kuthiwa, ‘UNkulunkulu ulomba isijeziso somuntu asibekele amadodana akhe.’ Kajezise yena umuntu ngokwakhe ukuze akwazi!
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
20 Amehlo akhe kawakubone ukuchithwa kwakhe; kalunathe ulaka lukaSomandla.
Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 Ngoba uvele uzihlupha ngani ngemuli avele ezayitshiya nxa izinyanga zakhe azabelweyo seziphelile na?
For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Kambe ukhona ongafundisa uNkulunkulu ulwazi, njengoba yena esahlulela labaphezulu na?
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
23 Umuntu uyafa ephilile kuhle, kukuhle konke ekhululekile,
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 umzimba wakhe uzimukile, amathambo akhe egcwele umnkantsho.
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 Omunye ufa elobuhlungu emphefumulweni wakhe, evele engakaze akholise lutho oluhle.
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
26 Bobabili balaliswe ndawonye eceleni komunye othulini, impethu zinyakaze phezu kwabo bobabili.
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
27 Ngiyazi kamhlophe ukuthi licabangani, amacebo elidinga ukungilimaza ngawo.
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
28 Lithi, ‘Ingaphi-ke manje indlu yesikhulu, amathente okwakuhlala kuwo abantu ababi?’
For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Kalikaze libuze labo abahambayo na? Kalize lananzelela izinto abazilandisayo,
Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
30 ukuthi umuntu omubi uyaphepha ngosuku lokubhujiswa na, ukuthi uyakhululwa ngosuku lwesiphithiphithi?
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
31 Kambe ngubani omtshela ngobubi bakhe ebusweni bakhe na? Ngubani ophindiselayo ngalokho akwenzileyo na?
Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
32 Uthwalelwa engcwabeni, lilindwe ingcwaba lakhe ngemfanelo.
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
33 Inhlabathi esigodini leso imnandi kuye; bonke abantu bayamlandela, banengi kakhulu njalo abahamba kuqala kulaye.
The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34 Pho-ke lingangiduduza njani likhuluma ize nje? Akusalanga lutho elilutshoyo ngaphandle kwenkohliso.”
So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
