UJobe 29
1 UJobe waqhubeka ngenkulumo yakhe wathi:
Job again took up his parable, and said,
2 “Ngiyaziloyisa lezozinyanga esezadlulayo, lezinsuku uNkulunkulu esangilinda,
“Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 lapho isibane sakhe sisakhanyisa phezu kwekhanda lami ngihamba ngokukhanya kwakhe emnyameni!
when his lamp shone on 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 my prime, when the friendship of God was in 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 my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 Ekuyeni kwami emasangweni edolobho ngafika ngahlala enkundleni,
when I went out to the city gate, 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. The aged rose up and stood.
9 amadoda ayizikhulu athula akaze akhuluma avala imilomo yawo ngezandla zawo;
The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 amazwi ezikhulu ehliselwa phansi, inlimi zazo zanamathela olwangeni lwazo.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 Loba ngubani owangizwayo wakhuluma kuhle ngami, kwathi labo abangibonayo bangibuka,
For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it commended me,
12 ngoba ngalamulela abayanga abacela uncedo, lezintandane ezazingelamsizi.
because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him,
13 Indoda eyayisifa yangibusisa; ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi yahlabelela.
the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on 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 robe and a diadem.
15 Ngangingamehlo kwabayiziphofu lezinyawo kwabaqhulayo.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
16 Nganginguyise kwabaswelayo; ngayimela indaba yesihambi.
I was a father to the needy. I researched the cause of him whom I didn’t know.
17 Ngawephula amazinyo ababi ngahluthuna labo ababebabambile ngamazinyo abo.
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Ngakhumbula ngathi, ‘Ngizafela endlini yami, insuku zami zinengi njengezinhlamvu zetshebetshebe.
Then I said, ‘I will die in my own house, I will count my days as the sand.
19 Impande zami zizafinyelela emanzini, amazolo azalala emagatsheni ubusuku bonke.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
20 Udumo lwami luzahlala lulutsha kimi, idandili lami lilitsha esandleni sami.’
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 Abantu babengilalela belethemba, belindele ukwelulekwa bethule zwi.
“Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.
22 Nxa sekukhulume mina, kungakhulumi omunye njalo; amazwi ami ayengena kamnandi ezindlebeni zabo.
After my words they didn’t speak again. My speech fell on them.
23 Babengilindela njengokulindela izulu, bawanathe amazwi ami njengezulu lentwasa.
They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.
24 Ngangisithi ngingababobothekela, bathabe bangakholwa; ukukhanya kobuso bami kwakuligugu kubo.
I smiled on them when they had no confidence. They didn’t reject the light of my face.
25 Yimi engangibakhethela ukuthi benzeni ngoba ngisanduna kubo; ngangihlala njengenkosi phakathi kwamabutho ayo; ngangifana lomduduzi wabalilayo.”
I chose out their way, and sat as chief. I lived as a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
