UJobe 28
1 Kulomgodi wesiliva lendawo lapho okucengwa khona igolide.
Truly there is a vein for silver, And a place for gold, which men refine.
2 Insimbi ithathwa emhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa emanyeleni.
Iron is obtained from earth, And stone is melted into copper.
3 Umuntu uyawuxotsha umnyama; uguduza ezingoxweni eziphansi kude edinga amanyele emnyameni othe bhuqe.
Man putteth an end to darkness; He searcheth to the lowest depths For the stone of darkness and the shadow of death.
4 Khatshana kwezindawo zabantu ugebha umgodi, ezindaweni lapho okungafiki nyawo lwamuntu; khatshana kwabantu uyalenga, azunguzeke.
From the place where they dwell they open a shaft; Forgotten by the feet, They hang down, they swing away from men.
5 Umhlaba, okuphuma kuwo ukudla, uyaguquka ngaphansi ingathi utshiswe ngomlilo;
The earth, out of which cometh bread, Is torn up underneath, as it were by fire.
6 amasafire amatshe amahle ayaphuma emadwaleni, uthuli lwawo lugcwele igolide.
Her stones are the place of sapphires, And she hath clods of gold for man.
7 Kakukho nyoni edla inyama eyaziyo leyondlela efihlekileyo, kakulalihlo laluphi ukhozi oselwake lwayibona.
The path thereto no bird knoweth, And the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 Izilo ezizithembileyo kazilubeki unyawo kuyo, njalo kakulasilwane esizingela khona.
The fierce wild beast hath not trodden it; The lion hath not passed over it.
9 Isandla somuntu yiso esihlasela idwala eliyinsengetshe siveze obala impande zezintaba.
Man layeth his hand upon the rock; He upturneth mountains from their roots;
10 Uyaligubha idwala angene; ilihlo lakhe liwabone wonke amagugu alo.
He cleaveth out streams in the rocks, And his eye seeth every precious thing;
11 Uyathungatha lapho okudabuka khona imifula aveze obala izinto ezifihlekileyo.
He bindeth up the streams, that they trickle not, And bringeth hidden things to light.
12 Kodwa ukuhlakanipha kungafunyanwa ngaphi na? Kuhlala ngaphi na ukuzwisisa?
But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Umuntu kakuzwisisi ukuqakatheka kwakho; kakufunyanwa elizweni labaphilayo.
Man knoweth not the price thereof, Nor can it be found in the land of the living.
14 Phansi ekujuleni kuthi, “Kakukho kimi”; ulwandle luthi, “Kangilakho mina.”
The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide elicolekileyo, njalo lentengo yakho ingeke yalinganiswa ngesiliva.
It cannot be gotten for gold, Nor shall silver be weighed out as the price thereof.
16 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide lase-Ofiri, loba nge-onikisi kumbe isafire.
It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx or the sapphire.
17 Kungazake kulinganiswe legolide loba amatshe akhazimulayo, njalo kakuzuzwa ngemiceciso yegolide.
Gold and crystal are not to be compared with it; Nor can it be purchased with jewels of fine gold.
18 Amatshe amahle ekhorali lejaspa lawo kawabalwa lapha; intengo yokuhlakanipha ingaphezulu kwamarubhi.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; For wisdom is more precious than pearls.
19 Ithophazi yaseKhushi ngeke ilinganiswe lakho; ngeke kuthengwe langegolide elicolekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be purchased with pure gold.
20 Pho kuvela ngaphi ukuhlakanipha na? Kuhlala ngaphi ukuzwisisa?
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
21 Kufihliwe emehlweni ento yonke ephilayo, kucatshisiwe lakuzo izinyoni zasemoyeni.
Since it is hidden from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 INcithakalo loKufa kuthi, “Amahungahunga akho yiwo kuphela esiwezwayo.”
Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.
23 UNkulunkulu uyayizwisisa indlela yakho njalo nguye yedwa okwaziyo lapho okuhlala khona,
God knoweth the way to it; He knoweth its dwelling-place.
24 ngoba uyayikhangela imikhawulo yomhlaba akubone konke okungaphansi kwamazulu.
For he seeth to the ends of the earth, And surveyeth all things under the whole heaven.
25 Wathi emisa umfutho womoya, elinganisa isimo samanzi,
When he gave the winds their weight, And meted out the waters by measure;
26 wathi ebeka umthetho wezulu elinayo lendlela yezulu elilesiphepho,
When he prescribed a law to the rain, And a path to the thunder-flash, —
27 wasekukhangela ukuhlakanipha wakuhlola butsha; wakukholwa wakuqinisa, wakulinga ukuthi kuqinile.
Then did he see it, and make it known; He established it, and searched it out.
28 Wathi emuntwini, “Ukumesaba uThixo yikho ukuhlakanipha, lokuxwaya ububi yikho ukuzwisisa.”
But he said unto man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.
