UJobe 31

1 “Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.

“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

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

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4 Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?

Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?

5 Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso

“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

6 uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,

(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may 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 out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

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

then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

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

“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

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

then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

11 Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

12 Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.

for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

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

“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,

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

what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?

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

Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t 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 alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

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

(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, 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 that the needy had no covering;

20 njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,

if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

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

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;

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

then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

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

For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.

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

“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

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

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

26 nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,

if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

27 yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;

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

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the 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 him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him

30 kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,

(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking 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 not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

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

(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

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

if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

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

because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—

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

oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

36 Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.

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

I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.

38 Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,

If my land 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 fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

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

let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.