UJobe 31

1 “Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.

I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

2 Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?

Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?

3 Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?

Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

4 Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?

Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

5 Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso

But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

6 uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,

(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

7 nxa izinyathelo zami zike zaphambuka endleleni, nxa inhliziyo yami ikhokhelwe ngamehlo ami, noma kumbe izandla zami zike zangcoliswa,

if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;

8 lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.

then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

9 Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,

If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;

10 lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.

then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

11 Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.

For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

12 Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.

For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

13 Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,

And if too I despised the judgement of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

14 ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?

what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

15 Yena lowo owangenzayo esibelethweni kabenzanga labo na? Kasuye yini yena kanye owasenzayo sonke phakathi kwezisu zabomama na?

Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

16 Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,

But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

17 nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,

And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

18 kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,

(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)

19 nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,

And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

20 njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,

and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

21 nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,

if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

22 nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.

let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

23 Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.

For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.

24 Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’

If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

25 nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,

and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:

26 nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,

(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )

27 yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,

and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

28 lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.

let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.

29 Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,

And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

30 kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,

let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword amongst my people in my affliction.

31 nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’

And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

32 kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi

for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )

33 nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami

or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

34 ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.

(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:

35 (Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.

(Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,

36 Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.

I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

37 Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)

And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

38 Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,

If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

39 nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,

and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:

40 nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.

then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.