UJobe 38
1 UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
2 “Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
5 Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
6 Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,
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 out of the womb,
9 lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
11 lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
12 Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
“Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked 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 presented as a garment.
15 Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
16 Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you 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 to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
19 Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
“What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
20 Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
21 Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
22 Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses 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 lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
26 ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
27 ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
28 Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?
30 lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
31 Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
33 Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
34 Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
38 nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
39 Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
“Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
