UJobe 38
1 UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
2 “Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
3 Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
6 Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
7 lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
8 Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
9 lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
10 lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
11 lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
12 Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
13 ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
14 Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
15 Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
16 Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
17 Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
18 Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
19 Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
20 Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
21 Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
22 Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
23 engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
24 Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
25 Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
26 ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
27 ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
28 Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
29 Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
30 lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
31 Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
32 Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
33 Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
34 Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
35 Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
36 Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
37 Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
38 nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
39 Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
40 lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
41 Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
