UJobe 38
1 UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 “Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.
5 Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof,
7 lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb;
9 lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
And prescribed for it My decree, and set bars and doors,
11 lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
And said: 'Thus far shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed'?
12 Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place;
13 ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
But from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken.
16 Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
Hast thou surveyed unto the breadths of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
19 Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;
20 Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
Thou knowest it, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, 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 parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, or a way for the lightning of the thunder;
26 ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
To cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten 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 hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee: 'Here we are'?
36 Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
Who provideth for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food?
