UJobe 29
1 UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
And Job continued his parable and said,
2 “Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
When his lamp shone over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;
4 Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of God was over my tent,
5 lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me;
6 lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! ...
7 Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,
8 amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;
9 amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;
10 amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me;
12 ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
For I delivered the afflicted that cried, and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
The blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.
15 Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;
16 Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;
17 Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
And I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand;
19 Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;
20 Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.
21 Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:
22 Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;
23 Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
[If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.
25 Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth mourners.
