UJobe 24
1 “Kungani uSomandla engabeki izikhathi zokwahlulela na? Kungani labo abamaziyo belindela ize bengazazi lezinsuku na?
“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days?
2 Abantu bayayiguqula imingcele ngokususa izikhonkwane; bayayelusa imihlambi entshontshiweyo.
Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks.
3 Bayathatha bahambe lobabhemi wentandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge.
4 Abaswelayo bayabagudlula endleleni bancindezele abayanga belizweni baze bayocatsha.
They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding.
5 Njengabobabhemi beganga enkangala, abayanga babhudula ukudla; egwaduleni kulapho okuzuzwa khona ukudla kwabantwababo.
Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go to work foraging for food; the wasteland is food for their children.
6 Babutha ukudla kwenkomo emasimini badobhe okuseleyo ezivinini zababi.
They gather fodder in the fields and glean the vineyards of the wicked.
7 Ngoba bengelazigqoko balala beze ubusuku bonke; kabalalutho lokuzembesa emqandweni.
Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold.
8 Bagxonxwa lizulu lezintabeni bakhusele emadwaleni beswele indawo yokuphephela.
Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter.
9 Umntwana oyintandane uhluthunwa ebeleni; usane lomyanga luyathunjelwa isikwelede.
The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt.
10 Ngoba bengelazigqoko bahamba nqunu; bathwala izikhwebu zamabele kodwa belambile.
Without clothing, they wander about naked. They carry the sheaves, but still go hungry.
11 Bahluza ama-oliva emigelweni; bagidagida esikhamelweni sewayini kodwa bomile.
They crush olives within their walls; they tread the winepresses, but go thirsty.
12 Ukububula kwabafayo kuzwakala kuphuma edolobheni, lemiphefumulo yabalimeleyo ikhala icela uncedo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kabeki muntu icala ngenxa yokona.
From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing.
13 Bakhona labo abahlamukela ukukhanya, abangazaziyo izindlela zalokho kukhanya loba ukuhlala kuzo.
Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths.
14 Nxa ukukhanya kwemini sekuhambile isigebenga siyaphuma sibulale abampofu labaswelayo; ebusuku siyanyonyoba njengesela.
When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief.
15 Ilihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa; sikhumbula sithi, ‘Akulamuntu ozangibona,’ sihlala sibusithile ubuso baso.
The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.
16 Ebumnyameni abantu bayagqekeza izindlu, kodwa emini bayazivalela endlini; kabakufuni ukukhanya.
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.
17 Bonke labo ubumnyama obukhulu buyikusa kubo; bathandana lezinto ezesabekayo ezobumnyama.
For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness!
18 Ikanti baligwebu phezu kwamanzi; esabo isabelo selizwe siqalekisiwe, ukuze kungayi muntu ezivinini.
They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.
19 Njengalokhu ukutshisa lokoma kuhangula ungqwaqwane oncibilikayo, kanjalo ingcwaba liyabahlwitha abenze isono. (Sheol h7585)
As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Isibeletho siyabakhohlwa, impethu zizitike phezu kwabo; abantu ababi kabasakhunjulwa kodwa bayafohlozwa njengesihlahla.
The womb forgets them; the worm feeds on them; they are remembered no more. So injustice is like a broken tree.
21 Bancindezela owesifazane oyinyumba longelamntwana, kumfelokazi kabalamusa.
They prey on the barren and childless, and show no kindness to the widow.
22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyazihudulela kude izikhulu ngamandla akhe. Noma bangaze bahlale bazinze kodwa kabalathemba lempilo.
Yet by His power, God drags away the mighty; though rising up, they have no assurance of life.
23 Angabayekela bahlale besizwa bevikelekile, kodwa amehlo akhe ayazibona izindlela zabo.
He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways.
24 Okwesikhatshana nje balodumo, baphinde banyamalale; bayehliswa njalo bafe njengabo bonke abanye; bayaqunywa njengezihloko zamabele.
They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.
25 Aluba lokhu kungenjalo, ngubani ongathi ngilamanga alulazise amazwi ami abe yize?”
If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”
