UJobe 33
1 “Khathesi-ke, Jobe, lalela amazwi ami; lalelisisa konke engikutshoyo.
Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
2 Sengizawuvula umlomo wami; amazwi ami asesolimini lwami.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
3 Amazwi ami aphuma enhliziyweni eqotho; izindebe zami zikhuluma ngokukholwa lokho engikwaziyo.
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 UMoya kaNkulunkulu wangenza; umphefumulo kaSomandla ungipha impilo.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 Ngiphendula nxa usenelisa; zilungiselele ukuthi ungiphikise.
If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
6 Lami nginjengawe phambi kukaNkulunkulu; lami njalo ngathathwa emhlabathini.
Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Ukungesaba kwakho makungakwethusi, njalo isandla sami masingasindi kuwe.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
8 Kodwa ukhulumile ngisizwa, ngiwezwile amazwi wona kanye,
Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words: —
9 ‘Ngimsulwa njalo kangilasono; ngihlanzekile kangilamlandu.
I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
10 Ikanti uNkulunkulu ubone okusolekayo kimi; ungithatha njengesitha sakhe.
Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;
11 Uyazikhina inyawo zami ngezibopho; uyaziqaphelisisa zonke izindlela zami.’
He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
12 Kodwa ngiyakutshela ukuthi lapha uyalahleka, uNkulunkulu mkhulu kulomuntu.
Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for God is greater than man.
13 Kungani umsola usithi kaphenduli amazwi omuntu na?
Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 Ngempela uNkulunkulu uyakhuluma, khathesi akhulume ngale indlela, aphinde akhulume ngenye lokuba umuntu angaze akunanzelela.
For God speaketh once, and twice, — [and man] perceiveth it not —
15 Kungaba ngephupho, kube ngombono ebusuku lapho abantu belele befile bethe nya emibhedeni yabo,
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 angakhuluma ezindlebeni zabo, abethuse ngezixwayiso,
Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
17 ukuze aguqule umuntu ekwenzeni okubi aqede ukuzikhukhumeza kwakhe,
That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
18 ukulondoloza umphefumulo wakhe ungayi egodini, lempilo yakhe ingabhubhi ngenkemba.
He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 Loba umuntu angajeziswa ngobuhlungu esembhedeni wakhe, langokuqaqamba okungathuliyo emathanjeni akhe,
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
20 aze ezwe umzimba wakhe usunengwa yikudla lomoya wakhe usenyanya lokudla okumnandi kakhulu.
And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
21 Inyama yakhe iyacikizeka iphele, lamathambo akhe ayekade evaliwe abonakale egcekeni.
His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
22 Umoya wakhe uyasondela egodini, lempilo yakhe kuzo izithunywa zokufa.
And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 Kodwa nxa kulengilosi eceleni kwakhe, engumeli, eyodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane, ukutshela umuntu okuyikho okumfaneleyo,
If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
24 ukuba lomusa kuye isithi, ‘Mxolele angayingena egodini; sengimzuzele inhlawulo yakhe yokumhlenga
Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 bese inyama yakhe ivuselelwa njengeyomntwana; iyavuselelwa ibe njengezinsukwini zobutsha bakhe.’
His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 Uyakhuleka kuNkulunkulu amthokozele, abubone ubuso bukaNkulunkulu amemeze ngentokozo; uyabuyiselwa nguNkulunkulu esimeni sakhe sokulunga.
He shall pray unto God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 Kuthi-ke abesebuya ebantwini athi, ‘Ngenza isono, ngahlanekela okulungileyo, kodwa kangisazuzanga obekungifanele.
He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;
28 Wawuhlenga umphefumulo wami ukuze ungayi egodini, ngakho ngizaphila ukuze ngikholise ukukhanya.’
He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
29 UNkulunkulu uyazenza zonke lezizinto emuntwini kabili, noma kathathu
Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
30 ukubuyisa umphefumulo wakhe ungayi egodini, ukuthi isibane sokuphila sikhanye kuye.
To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Nanzelela, Jobe, ulalele kimi; thula kukhulume mina.
Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 Nxa ulolutho lokutsho, ngiphendula; khuluma sibili, ngoba ngifuna ukuthi ugezwe umlandu.
If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 Kodwa nxa lungekho lalela kimi; thula zwi mina ngizakufundisa ukuhlakanipha.”
If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.
