UJobe 29
1 UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
And Job continued to take up his parable, and said,
2 “Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
Who will give me back months like those which are past, days like those when God guarded me;
3 lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
When his lamp shone over my head, when by his light I could walk in darkness;
4 Oh, lezinsuku ngisazizwa ukuthi ngiyimi, lapho ubudlelwano obukhulu loNkulunkulu busesendlini yami,
As I was in the days of my abundance, when the confidence of God was upon my tent:
5 lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
When the Almighty was yet with me, when my servants stood round about me;
6 lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
When I bathed my steps in cream, and the rock poured out near me streamlets of oil!
7 Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
When I went out to the gate close by the city, when in the open place I established my seat:
8 amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
Young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged rose up, and remained standing;
9 amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
Princes stopped in the midst of [their] words, and laid their hand on their mouth:
10 amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
The voice of nobles was arrested, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
For the ear that heard me called me happy; and the eye that saw me bore witness for me;
12 ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, yea, 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 the heart of the widow I caused to sing for joy.
14 Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
I took righteousness as my garment, and it clothed me: as a robe and a mitre was justice unto me.
15 Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
Eyes was I to the blind; and feet to the lame was I.
16 Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
A father was I to the needy; and the cause of him I knew not I used to investigate.
17 Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
And I broke the cutting-teeth of the wrong-doer, and out of his teeth I cast down his prey.
18 Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
And I said then, “In the midst of my nest shall I depart hence, and like the sand shall I have many days.
19 Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
My root will stand open for the water, and the dew will lodge on my boughs.
20 Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
My glory will ever be new with me, and my bow will acquire fresh strength in my hand.”
21 Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
Unto me men listened, and waited, and watched in silence for my counsel
22 Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
After my words they made no reply, and my speech dropped on them [like dew].
23 Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened wide their mouth as for the latter rain.
24 Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
I smiled on those that had lost their confidence; and the light of my countenance they never cast down.
25 Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
I chose their way for them, and I sat as chief, and dwelt as king in his army, as one that comforteth mourners.
