UJobe 31
1 “Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.
A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what — do I attend to a virgin?
2 Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?
And what [is] the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?
3 Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?
Is not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?
4 Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
Doth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?
5 Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso
If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,
6 uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,
He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth 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 doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,
8 lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.
Let me sow — and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.
9 Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,
If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,
10 lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.
Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.
11 Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.
For it [is] a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;
12 Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.
For a fire it [is], to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,
13 Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,
If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,
14 ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?
Then what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do 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? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.
16 Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,
If I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,
17 nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,
And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,
18 kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,
(But from my youth He grew up with me as [with] a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)
19 nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,
If I see [any] perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,
20 njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,
If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,
21 nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,
If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in [him] the gate of my court,
22 nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.
My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.
23 Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.
For a dread unto me [is] calamity [from] God, And because of His excellency I am not able.
24 Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’
If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, 'My trust,'
25 nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,
If I rejoice because great [is] my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,
26 nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,
If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,
27 yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,
And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,
28 lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.
It also [is] a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.
29 Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,
If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him,
30 kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,
Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.
31 nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’
If not — say ye, O men of my tent, 'O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'
32 kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi
In the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.
33 nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami
If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,
34 ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.
Because I fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.
35 (Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.
Who giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.
36 Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.
If not — on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.
37 Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)
The number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.
38 Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,
If against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,
39 nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,
If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
40 nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.
Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.
