UJobe 29
1 UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
Moreover 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 candle shined upon my head, [and when] 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 of God [was] upon my tabernacle;
5 lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [when] my children [were] about me;
6 lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
7 Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
When I went out to the gate through the city, [when] I prepared my seat in the street!
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;
The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their mouth.
10 amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
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.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.
13 Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish 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 judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.
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 poor: and the cause [which] I knew not I searched out.
17 Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.
19 Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.
20 Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
My glory [was] fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
Unto me [men] gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.
22 Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
After my words they spake 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 the light of my countenance they cast not down.
25 Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.
