UJobe 29
1 UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
2 “Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;
3 lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
When his lamp shined over 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 autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
5 lapho uSomandla eseselami labantwabami besaphila lami,
When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me;
6 lapho indlela yami ifafazwe ngolaza ledwala lingithululela impophoma zamafutha e-oliva.
When I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
7 Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
When I went forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,
8 amajaha angibona agudluka ema eceleni, abadala baphakama bema ngezinyawo;
The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.
9 amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon 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.
For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who 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 heart of the widow to sing for joy.
14 Ngavunula ukulunga njengezigqoko zami; ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaba yisembatho sami lengwane yami.
I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and 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 of him I knew not I searched out;
17 Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
18 Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
My root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.
20 Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”
21 Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
22 Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.
23 Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
24 Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
25 Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.
