UJobe 31

1 “Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3 Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?

[Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?

4 Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

5 Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

6 uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

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

If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

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

[Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

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

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;

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

[Then] let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.

For this [is] an heinous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.

12 Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.

For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

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

What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

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

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

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

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

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

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb; )

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

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

20 njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,

If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he were [not] warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

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

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

[Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

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

For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

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

If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

26 nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;

27 yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

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

This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

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

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

30 kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

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

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

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

The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

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

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, [and] went not out of the door?

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

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire [is, that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] mine adversary had written a book.

36 Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.

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

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

38 Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

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

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.