UJobe 24
1 “Kungani uSomandla engabeki izikhathi zokwahlulela na? Kungani labo abamaziyo belindela ize bengazazi lezinsuku na?
Why are times for judging wicked people not set by the Almighty? Why do not those who are faithful to God see his days of judgment come?
2 Abantu bayayiguqula imingcele ngokususa izikhonkwane; bayayelusa imihlambi entshontshiweyo.
There are wicked people who remove boundary markers; there are wicked people who take away flocks by force and put them in their own pastures.
3 Bayathatha bahambe lobabhemi wentandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
They drive away the donkey of those without fathers; they take the widow's ox as security.
4 Abaswelayo bayabagudlula endleleni bancindezele abayanga belizweni baze bayocatsha.
They force needy people out of their path; poor people of the earth all hide themselves from them.
5 Njengabobabhemi beganga enkangala, abayanga babhudula ukudla; egwaduleni kulapho okuzuzwa khona ukudla kwabantwababo.
See, these poor people go out to their work like wild donkeys in the wilderness, looking carefully for food; perhaps the Arabah will provide them food for their children.
6 Babutha ukudla kwenkomo emasimini badobhe okuseleyo ezivinini zababi.
Poor people reap in the night in other people's fields; they glean grapes from the harvest of those wicked people.
7 Ngoba bengelazigqoko balala beze ubusuku bonke; kabalalutho lokuzembesa emqandweni.
They lie naked all night without clothing; they have no covering in the cold.
8 Bagxonxwa lizulu lezintabeni bakhusele emadwaleni beswele indawo yokuphephela.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains; they lie next to large rocks because they have no shelter.
9 Umntwana oyintandane uhluthunwa ebeleni; usane lomyanga luyathunjelwa isikwelede.
There are wicked people who pluck orphans from their mothers' breast, and wicked people who take children as security from poor people.
10 Ngoba bengelazigqoko bahamba nqunu; bathwala izikhwebu zamabele kodwa belambile.
But the poor people go about naked without clothing; although they go hungry, they carry bundles of grain belonging to other people.
11 Bahluza ama-oliva emigelweni; bagidagida esikhamelweni sewayini kodwa bomile.
The poor people make oil within the walls of those wicked men; they tread the wicked men's winepresses, but they themselves suffer thirst.
12 Ukububula kwabafayo kuzwakala kuphuma edolobheni, lemiphefumulo yabalimeleyo ikhala icela uncedo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kabeki muntu icala ngenxa yokona.
From out of the city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries out for help. But God does not ascribe blame
13 Bakhona labo abahlamukela ukukhanya, abangazaziyo izindlela zalokho kukhanya loba ukuhlala kuzo.
Some of these wicked people rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor do they stay in its paths.
14 Nxa ukukhanya kwemini sekuhambile isigebenga siyaphuma sibulale abampofu labaswelayo; ebusuku siyanyonyoba njengesela.
Before daylight the murderer rises and he kills poor and needy people; in the night he is like a thief.
15 Ilihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa; sikhumbula sithi, ‘Akulamuntu ozangibona,’ sihlala sibusithile ubuso baso.
Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight; he says, 'No eye will see me.' He disguises his face.
16 Ebumnyameni abantu bayagqekeza izindlu, kodwa emini bayazivalela endlini; kabakufuni ukukhanya.
In the darkness wicked people dig into houses; but they shut themselves up in the daytime; they do not care for the light.
17 Bonke labo ubumnyama obukhulu buyikusa kubo; bathandana lezinto ezesabekayo ezobumnyama.
For all of them, thick darkness is like the morning; for they are friends with the terrors of thick darkness.
18 Ikanti baligwebu phezu kwamanzi; esabo isabelo selizwe siqalekisiwe, ukuze kungayi muntu ezivinini.
Swiftly they pass away, however, like foam on the surface of the waters; their portion of the land is cursed; no one goes to work in their vineyards.
19 Njengalokhu ukutshisa lokoma kuhangula ungqwaqwane oncibilikayo, kanjalo ingcwaba liyabahlwitha abenze isono. (Sheol h7585)
As drought and heat melt away the snow into waters, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Isibeletho siyabakhohlwa, impethu zizitike phezu kwabo; abantu ababi kabasakhunjulwa kodwa bayafohlozwa njengesihlahla.
The womb that bore him will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be remembered no more; in this way, wickedness will be broken like a tree.
21 Bancindezela owesifazane oyinyumba longelamntwana, kumfelokazi kabalamusa.
The wicked one devours the barren women who have not borne children; he does no good to the widow.
22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyazihudulela kude izikhulu ngamandla akhe. Noma bangaze bahlale bazinze kodwa kabalathemba lempilo.
Yet God drags away the mighty people by his power; he rises up and does not strengthen them in life.
23 Angabayekela bahlale besizwa bevikelekile, kodwa amehlo akhe ayazibona izindlela zabo.
God allows them to think they are secure, and they are happy about that, but his eyes are on their ways.
24 Okwesikhatshana nje balodumo, baphinde banyamalale; bayehliswa njalo bafe njengabo bonke abanye; bayaqunywa njengezihloko zamabele.
These people are exalted; still, in only a little while, they will be gone; indeed, they will be brought low; they will be gathered up like all the others; they will be cut off like the tops of ears of grain.
25 Aluba lokhu kungenjalo, ngubani ongathi ngilamanga alulazise amazwi ami abe yize?”
If it is not so, who can prove me to be a liar; who can make my speech worth nothing?”
