UJobe 30
1 “Kodwa manje bayangiklolodela, amadoda angabantwana kimi, oyise engangingabehlisa ngibelusise izimvu zami.
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Amandla ezandla zabo ayengangisiza ngani mina, ngoba amadlabuzane abo ayesephelile;
Yea, whereto [should] the strength of their hands [profit] me, [men] in whom vigour hath perished?
3 sebejujukile ngokuswela langendlala, bazula elizweni elomileyo emangweni eyinkangala engelalutho ebusuku.
Withered up through want and hunger, they flee into waste places long since desolate and desert:
4 Enkotheni khonale bakha imibhida emunyu, ukudla kwabo kuzimpande zezihlahla.
They gather the salt-wort among the bushes, and the roots of the broom for their food.
5 Baxotshwa ebantwini bakibo, bathethiswa kungathi babengamasela.
They are driven forth from among [men] — they cry after them as after a thief —
6 Kwasekumele bahlale ezihotsheni zezifula ezomileyo, ezimbalwini emadwaleni lemilindini emhlabathini.
To dwell in gloomy gorges, in caves of the earth and the rocks:
7 Bakhonya phakathi kwezihlahla baququbala ezixukwini.
They bray among the bushes; under the brambles they are gathered together:
8 Base bengabantu abaphansi abangaselabizo, sebexotshiwe elizweni.
Sons of fools, and sons of nameless sires, they are driven out of the land.
9 Kodwa manje amadodana abo asengihaya ngengoma; sengiyisiga kubo.
And now I am their song, yea, I am their byword.
10 Bayangenyanya njalo bamela khatshana lami; kabathikazi ukungikhafulela ebusweni.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, yea, they spare not to spit in my face.
11 Khathesi njengoba uNkulunkulu eselithukulule idandili lami wangitshaya ngezinhlupheko, sebeklamasa kabasazithinti.
For he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me; so they cast off the bridle before me.
12 Kwesokunene kwami ixuku liyangihlasela; bathiya inyawo zami ngemijibila bakhe imibundu yokungivimbezela.
At [my] right hand rise the young brood; they push away my feet, and raise up against me their pernicious ways;
13 Badiliza indlela yami; bayaphumelela ukungibhidliza besithi ‘Akekho ozamsiza.’
They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, without any to help them;
14 Bahlasela ingathi bafohlela esikhaleni esivulekileyo; beza bethululeka phezu kwezinqwaba zamanxiwa.
They come in as through a wide breach: amid the confusion they roll themselves onward.
15 Ukwesaba okukhulu kungiphethe; isithunzi sami sobuntu singathi siphethwe ngumoya, ukuvikeleka kwami kunyamalala njengeyezi.
Terrors are turned against me; they pursue mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away like a cloud.
16 Manje impilo yami isincipha; insuku zokuhlupheka zingibambe nko.
And now my soul is poured out in me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 Ubusuku bugwaza amathambo ami; lokuqaqamba kobuhlungu bami kakupheli.
The night pierceth through my bones [and detacheth them] from me, and my gnawing pains take no rest:
18 Ngamandla akhe amakhulu uNkulunkulu unjengelembu kimi; uyangikhama ngamabheqe entanyeni yami.
By their great force they have become my raiment; they bind me about as the collar of my coat.
19 Ungivoxela edakeni, ngicina sengiluthuli lomlotha.
He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 Ngikhala kuwe, Oh Nkulunkulu, kodwa kawuphenduli; ngiyasukuma, kodwa uyangikhangela kuphela.
I cry unto thee, and thou answerest me not; I stand up, and thou lookest at me.
21 Ungisukela ngesihluku; ungihlasela ngamandla esandla sakho.
Thou art changed to a cruel one to me; with the strength of thy hand thou pursuest me.
22 Uyangihlwitha ngiphetshulwe ngumoya; ngiphoseke le lale phakathi kwesiphepho.
Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to be borne away, and dissolvest my substance.
23 Ngiyazi ukuthi uzangilalisa phansi ekufeni, endaweni emiselwe konke okuphilayo.
For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and into the house of assemblage for all living.
24 Ngempela kakho ombeka isandla umuntu oswelayo nxa ekhalela ukusizwa esebunzimeni.
Indeed, no prayer [availeth] when he stretcheth out [his] hand: though they cry when he destroyeth.
25 Kangibakhalelanga yini labo abahluphekileyo? Umoya wami kawubazwelanga usizi abayanga na?
Did not I weep for him whose days were hard? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 Kodwa ngathi ngilindele ubuhle, kweza ububi; ngathi ngilindele ukukhanya kweza ubumnyama.
For I expected good, and there came evil; and I waited for light, but there came darkness.
27 Ukudunguluka ngaphakathi kwami kakukhawuli; insuku zokuhlupheka zingijamele.
My bowels well up, and rest not; days of affliction have confronted me.
28 Ngihamba nje ngimnyama kubi, kungesikutshiswa lilanga; ngiyasukuma enkundleni ngicele uncedo.
I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up, I cry in the congregation.
29 Sengingumfowabo wamakhanka, umkhula wezikhova.
I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion of ostriches.
30 Isikhumba sami siba mnyama, siyaxathuka; umzimba wami uyatshisa ngomkhuhlane.
My skin is become black [and falleth] off me, and my bones are parched with heat.
31 Ichacho lami selilungiselwe isililo, lomqangala wami ulindele umkhosi wokukhala.”
My harp also is [turned] to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of weepers.
