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 copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 Umuntu uyawuxotsha umnyama; uguduza ezingoxweni eziphansi kude edinga amanyele emnyameni othe bhuqe.
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of 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. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
5 Umhlaba, okuphuma kuwo ukudla, uyaguquka ngaphansi ingathi utshiswe ngomlilo;
As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 amasafire amatshe amahle ayaphuma emadwaleni, uthuli lwawo lugcwele igolide.
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 Kakukho nyoni edla inyama eyaziyo leyondlela efihlekileyo, kakulalihlo laluphi ukhozi oselwake lwayibona.
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
8 Izilo ezizithembileyo kazilubeki unyawo kuyo, njalo kakulasilwane esizingela khona.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 Isandla somuntu yiso esihlasela idwala eliyinsengetshe siveze obala impande zezintaba.
He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 Uyaligubha idwala angene; ilihlo lakhe liwabone wonke amagugu alo.
He cuts out channels amongst the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 Uyathungatha lapho okudabuka khona imifula aveze obala izinto ezifihlekileyo.
He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 Kodwa ukuhlakanipha kungafunyanwa ngaphi na? Kuhlala ngaphi na ukuzwisisa?
“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 Umuntu kakuzwisisi ukuqakatheka kwakho; kakufunyanwa elizweni labaphilayo.
Man doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t found in the land of the living.
14 Phansi ekujuleni kuthi, “Kakukho kimi”; ulwandle luthi, “Kangilakho mina.”
The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide elicolekileyo, njalo lentengo yakho ingeke yalinganiswa ngesiliva.
It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.
16 Kungeke kwathengwa ngegolide lase-Ofiri, loba nge-onikisi kumbe isafire.
It can’t 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 can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 Amatshe amahle ekhorali lejaspa lawo kawabalwa lapha; intengo yokuhlakanipha ingaphezulu kwamarubhi.
No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Ithophazi yaseKhushi ngeke ilinganiswe lakho; ngeke kuthengwe langegolide elicolekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.
20 Pho kuvela ngaphi ukuhlakanipha na? Kuhlala ngaphi ukuzwisisa?
Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
21 Kufihliwe emehlweni ento yonke ephilayo, kucatshisiwe lakuzo izinyoni zasemoyeni.
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 INcithakalo loKufa kuthi, “Amahungahunga akho yiwo kuphela esiwezwayo.”
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumour of it with our ears.’
23 UNkulunkulu uyayizwisisa indlela yakho njalo nguye yedwa okwaziyo lapho okuhlala khona,
“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24 ngoba uyayikhangela imikhawulo yomhlaba akubone konke okungaphansi kwamazulu.
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25 Wathi emisa umfutho womoya, elinganisa isimo samanzi,
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures 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 he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 Wathi emuntwini, “Ukumesaba uThixo yikho ukuhlakanipha, lokuxwaya ububi yikho ukuzwisisa.”
To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
