UJobe 38
1 UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
2 “Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
3 Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
5 Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
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 melody?
8 Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:
9 lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
10 lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
11 lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
12 Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
13 ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
14 Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
15 Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
17 Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
18 Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
19 Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
20 Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
21 Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
22 Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
23 engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war?
24 Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon the earth?
25 Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
26 ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
27 ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
28 Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
29 Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
30 lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
31 Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
32 Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
33 Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
34 Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
36 Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
37 Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
38 nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
39 Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
40 lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
41 Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
