UJobe 31
1 “Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on a virgin?
2 Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
For what is the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
4 Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?
5 Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,
6 uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know my integrity.
7 nxa izinyathelo zami zike zaphambuka endleleni, nxa inhliziyo yami ikhokhelwe ngamehlo ami, noma kumbe izandla zami zike zangcoliswa,
If my step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8 lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
then let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.
9 Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
If my heart has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
11 Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
12 Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
13 Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with me,
14 ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?
15 Yena lowo owangenzayo esibelethweni kabenzanga labo na? Kasuye yini yena kanye owasenzayo sonke phakathi kwezisu zabomama na?
Did the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?
16 Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
If I have withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
17 nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
18 kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.
19 nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
20 njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool 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 fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
22 nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
23 Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
24 Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
If I have made gold my hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
25 nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
26 nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
27 yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
28 lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
30 kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
31 nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
If the men of my tent have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
32 kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!
33 nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
34 ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
(because I feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
35 (Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
Oh, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!
36 Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.
37 Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
38 Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,
39 nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
40 nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
