UJobe 24
1 “Kungani uSomandla engabeki izikhathi zokwahlulela na? Kungani labo abamaziyo belindela ize bengazazi lezinsuku na?
“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty? Why don’t those who know him see his days?
2 Abantu bayayiguqula imingcele ngokususa izikhonkwane; bayayelusa imihlambi entshontshiweyo.
There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 Bayathatha bahambe lobabhemi wentandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 Abaswelayo bayabagudlula endleleni bancindezele abayanga belizweni baze bayocatsha.
They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Njengabobabhemi beganga enkangala, abayanga babhudula ukudla; egwaduleni kulapho okuzuzwa khona ukudla kwabantwababo.
Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.
6 Babutha ukudla kwenkomo emasimini badobhe okuseleyo ezivinini zababi.
They cut their food in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 Ngoba bengelazigqoko balala beze ubusuku bonke; kabalalutho lokuzembesa emqandweni.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 Bagxonxwa lizulu lezintabeni bakhusele emadwaleni beswele indawo yokuphephela.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 Umntwana oyintandane uhluthunwa ebeleni; usane lomyanga luyathunjelwa isikwelede.
There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
10 Ngoba bengelazigqoko bahamba nqunu; bathwala izikhwebu zamabele kodwa belambile.
so that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.
11 Bahluza ama-oliva emigelweni; bagidagida esikhamelweni sewayini kodwa bomile.
They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.
12 Ukububula kwabafayo kuzwakala kuphuma edolobheni, lemiphefumulo yabalimeleyo ikhala icela uncedo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kabeki muntu icala ngenxa yokona.
From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn’t regard the folly.
13 Bakhona labo abahlamukela ukukhanya, abangazaziyo izindlela zalokho kukhanya loba ukuhlala kuzo.
“These are of those who rebel against the light. They don’t know its ways, nor stay in its paths.
14 Nxa ukukhanya kwemini sekuhambile isigebenga siyaphuma sibulale abampofu labaswelayo; ebusuku siyanyonyoba njengesela.
The murderer rises with the light. He kills 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 also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.
16 Ebumnyameni abantu bayagqekeza izindlu, kodwa emini bayazivalela endlini; kabakufuni ukukhanya.
In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.
17 Bonke labo ubumnyama obukhulu buyikusa kubo; bathandana lezinto ezesabekayo ezobumnyama.
For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18 Ikanti baligwebu phezu kwamanzi; esabo isabelo selizwe siqalekisiwe, ukuze kungayi muntu ezivinini.
“They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They don’t turn into the way of the vineyards.
19 Njengalokhu ukutshisa lokoma kuhangula ungqwaqwane oncibilikayo, kanjalo ingcwaba liyabahlwitha abenze isono. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Isibeletho siyabakhohlwa, impethu zizitike phezu kwabo; abantu ababi kabasakhunjulwa kodwa bayafohlozwa njengesihlahla.
The womb will forget him. The worm will feed sweetly on him. He will be no more remembered. Unrighteousness will be broken as a tree.
21 Bancindezela owesifazane oyinyumba longelamntwana, kumfelokazi kabalamusa.
He devours the barren who don’t bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyazihudulela kude izikhulu ngamandla akhe. Noma bangaze bahlale bazinze kodwa kabalathemba lempilo.
Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
23 Angabayekela bahlale besizwa bevikelekile, kodwa amehlo akhe ayazibona izindlela zabo.
God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.
24 Okwesikhatshana nje balodumo, baphinde banyamalale; bayehliswa njalo bafe njengabo bonke abanye; bayaqunywa njengezihloko zamabele.
They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
25 Aluba lokhu kungenjalo, ngubani ongathi ngilamanga alulazise amazwi ami abe yize?”
If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”
