UJobe 28
1 Kulomgodi wesiliva lendawo lapho okucengwa khona igolide.
Surely there is a mine for silver, a place where they refine gold.
2 Insimbi ithathwa emhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa emanyeleni.
Iron is taken out of the earth; copper is smelted out of the stone.
3 Umuntu uyawuxotsha umnyama; uguduza ezingoxweni eziphansi kude edinga amanyele emnyameni othe bhuqe.
A man sets an end to darkness and searches out, to the farthest limit, the stones in obscurity and thick darkness.
4 Khatshana kwezindawo zabantu ugebha umgodi, ezindaweni lapho okungafiki nyawo lwamuntu; khatshana kwabantu uyalenga, azunguzeke.
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live, places that are forgotten by anyone's foot. He hangs far away from people; he swings to and fro.
5 Umhlaba, okuphuma kuwo ukudla, uyaguquka ngaphansi ingathi utshiswe ngomlilo;
As for the earth, out of which comes bread, it is turned up below as if by fire.
6 amasafire amatshe amahle ayaphuma emadwaleni, uthuli lwawo lugcwele igolide.
Its stones are the place where sapphires are found, and its dust contains gold.
7 Kakukho nyoni edla inyama eyaziyo leyondlela efihlekileyo, kakulalihlo laluphi ukhozi oselwake lwayibona.
No bird of prey knows the path to it, nor has the falcon's eye seen it.
8 Izilo ezizithembileyo kazilubeki unyawo kuyo, njalo kakulasilwane esizingela khona.
The proud animals have not walked such a path, nor has the fierce lion passed there.
9 Isandla somuntu yiso esihlasela idwala eliyinsengetshe siveze obala impande zezintaba.
A man lays his hand on the flinty rock; he overturns mountains by their roots.
10 Uyaligubha idwala angene; ilihlo lakhe liwabone wonke amagugu alo.
He cuts out channels among the rocks; his eye sees every valuable thing there.
11 Uyathungatha lapho okudabuka khona imifula aveze obala izinto ezifihlekileyo.
He ties up the streams so they do not run; what is hidden there he brings out to the light.
12 Kodwa ukuhlakanipha kungafunyanwa ngaphi na? Kuhlala ngaphi na ukuzwisisa?
Where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 Umuntu kakuzwisisi ukuqakatheka kwakho; kakufunyanwa elizweni labaphilayo.
Man does not know its price; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 Phansi ekujuleni kuthi, “Kakukho kimi”; ulwandle luthi, “Kangilakho mina.”
The deep waters under the earth say, 'It is not in me'; the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
15 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide elicolekileyo, njalo lentengo yakho ingeke yalinganiswa ngesiliva.
It cannot be gotten for gold; neither can silver be weighed as its price.
16 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide lase-Ofiri, loba nge-onikisi kumbe isafire.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Kungazake kulinganiswe legolide loba amatshe akhazimulayo, njalo kakuzuzwa ngemiceciso yegolide.
Gold and crystal cannot equal it in worth; neither can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 Amatshe amahle ekhorali lejaspa lawo kawabalwa lapha; intengo yokuhlakanipha ingaphezulu kwamarubhi.
No mention is worth making of coral or jasper; indeed, the price of wisdom is more than rubies.
19 Ithophazi yaseKhushi ngeke ilinganiswe lakho; ngeke kuthengwe langegolide elicolekileyo.
The topaz of Cush does not equal it; neither can it be valued in terms of pure gold.
20 Pho kuvela ngaphi ukuhlakanipha na? Kuhlala ngaphi ukuzwisisa?
From where, then, comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
21 Kufihliwe emehlweni ento yonke ephilayo, kucatshisiwe lakuzo izinyoni zasemoyeni.
Wisdom is hidden from the eyes of all living things and is kept hidden from the birds of the heavens.
22 INcithakalo loKufa kuthi, “Amahungahunga akho yiwo kuphela esiwezwayo.”
Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard just a rumor about it with our ears.'
23 UNkulunkulu uyayizwisisa indlela yakho njalo nguye yedwa okwaziyo lapho okuhlala khona,
God understands the way to it; he knows its place.
24 ngoba uyayikhangela imikhawulo yomhlaba akubone konke okungaphansi kwamazulu.
For he looks to the very ends of the earth and sees under all the heavens.
25 Wathi emisa umfutho womoya, elinganisa isimo samanzi,
He made the force of the wind and parceled out the waters by measure.
26 wathi ebeka umthetho wezulu elinayo lendlela yezulu elilesiphepho,
He made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunder.
27 wasekukhangela ukuhlakanipha wakuhlola butsha; wakukholwa wakuqinisa, wakulinga ukuthi kuqinile.
Then he saw wisdom and announced it; he established it, indeed, and he examined it.
28 Wathi emuntwini, “Ukumesaba uThixo yikho ukuhlakanipha, lokuxwaya ububi yikho ukuzwisisa.”
To people he said, 'See, the fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; to depart from evil is understanding.'”
