UJobe 28
1 Kulomgodi wesiliva lendawo lapho okucengwa khona igolide.
Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2 Insimbi ithathwa emhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa emanyeleni.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 Umuntu uyawuxotsha umnyama; uguduza ezingoxweni eziphansi kude edinga amanyele emnyameni othe bhuqe.
[Man] setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out to the furthest bound the stones of thick darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 Khatshana kwezindawo zabantu ugebha umgodi, ezindaweni lapho okungafiki nyawo lwamuntu; khatshana kwabantu uyalenga, azunguzeke.
He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot [that passeth by]; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
5 Umhlaba, okuphuma kuwo ukudla, uyaguquka ngaphansi ingathi utshiswe ngomlilo;
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 amasafire amatshe amahle ayaphuma emadwaleni, uthuli lwawo lugcwele igolide.
The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Kakukho nyoni edla inyama eyaziyo leyondlela efihlekileyo, kakulalihlo laluphi ukhozi oselwake lwayibona.
That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it:
8 Izilo ezizithembileyo kazilubeki unyawo kuyo, njalo kakulasilwane esizingela khona.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the fierce lion passed thereby.
9 Isandla somuntu yiso esihlasela idwala eliyinsengetshe siveze obala impande zezintaba.
He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 Uyaligubha idwala angene; ilihlo lakhe liwabone wonke amagugu alo.
He cutteth out channels among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Uyathungatha lapho okudabuka khona imifula aveze obala izinto ezifihlekileyo.
He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth 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; neither is it 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, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide lase-Ofiri, loba nge-onikisi kumbe isafire.
It cannot be valued 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 glass cannot equal it: neither shall the exchange thereof be 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: yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Ithophazi yaseKhushi ngeke ilinganiswe lakho; ngeke kuthengwe langegolide elicolekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued 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.
Seeing it is hid 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 rumour thereof with our ears.
23 UNkulunkulu uyayizwisisa indlela yakho njalo nguye yedwa okwaziyo lapho okuhlala khona,
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 ngoba uyayikhangela imikhawulo yomhlaba akubone konke okungaphansi kwamazulu.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 Wathi emisa umfutho womoya, elinganisa isimo samanzi,
To make a weight for the wind; yea, he meteth out the waters by measure.
26 wathi ebeka umthetho wezulu elinayo lendlela yezulu elilesiphepho,
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 wasekukhangela ukuhlakanipha wakuhlola butsha; wakukholwa wakuqinisa, wakulinga ukuthi kuqinile.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out.
28 Wathi emuntwini, “Ukumesaba uThixo yikho ukuhlakanipha, lokuxwaya ububi yikho ukuzwisisa.”
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
