UJobe 38
1 UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: —
2 “Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
Who [is] this — darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
3 Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.
5 Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
Who placed its measures — if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?
6 Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?
7 lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,
8 Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.
9 lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,
11 lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
And say, 'Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'
12 Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?
13 ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,
14 Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.
15 Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.
16 Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?
17 Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?
18 Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare — if thou hast known it all.
19 Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
Where [is] this — the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where [is] this — its place?
20 Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.
21 Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
Thou hast known — for then thou art born And the number of thy days [are] many!
22 Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?
23 engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle.
24 Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.
25 Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
Who hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?
26 ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
To cause [it] to rain on a land — no man, A wilderness — no man in it.
27 ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?
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
From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?
30 lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.
31 Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?
32 Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?
33 Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?
34 Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?
35 Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, 'Behold us?'
36 Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?
37 Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,
38 nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?
39 Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?
40 lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
When they bow down in dens — Abide in a thicket for a covert?
41 Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
Who doth prepare for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry unto God? They wander without food.
