UJobe 39
1 “Uyakwazi na ukuthi amagogo azala nini? Uyawubukele yini nxa impalakazi izala izinyane layo?
[Say] if thou knowest the time of the bringing forth of the wild goats of the rock, and [if] thou hast marked the calving of the hinds:
2 Uyawuzibale yini izinyanga zize zizale? Uyasazi isikhathi ezizazala ngaso na?
and [if] thou has hast numbered the full months of their being with young, and [if] thou hast relieved their pangs:
3 Ziyalala phansi zizale abantwana bazo; kube sekuphela ubuhlungu bokuhelelwa kwazo.
and hast reared their young without fear; and wilt thou loosen their pangs?
4 Amazinyane azo ayaqina akhule abe lamandla egangeni; ayasuka ahambe angabuyi.
Their young will break forth; they will be multiplied with offspring: [their young] will go forth, and will not return to them.
5 Ngubani owakhulula ubabhemi weganga na? Ngubani owathukulula igoda lakhe na?
And who is he that sent forth the wild ass free? and who loosed his bands?
6 Ngamupha ugwadule lwaba likhaya lakhe, lenkangala yetswayi ibe ngumango wakhe.
whereas I made his habitation the wilderness, and the salt land his coverts.
7 Uyazincifela iziphithiphithi zedolobho; kakuzwa ukukhahlanyezwa ngumtshayeli.
He laughs to scorn the multitude of the city, and hears not the chiding of the tax-gatherer.
8 Uyazihambela abhode izintaba emadlelweni akhe edinga loba yini eluhlaza.
He will survey the mountains [as] his pasture, and he seeks after every green thing.
9 Inyathi kambe izavuma ukukusebenzela na? Izahlala esibayeni sakho ebusuku na?
And will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or to lie down at thy manger?
10 Ungayibamba ngomchilo ulime ngayo na? Ingazilima na izigodi zakho?
And wilt thou bind his yoke with thongs, or will he plough furrows for thee in the plain?
11 Ungayithemba yini ngenxa yamandla ayo amakhulu na? Ungawuyekelela yona umsebenzi wakho onzima na?
And dost thou trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou commit thy works to him?
12 Ungayithemba ukuthi izalayitsha amabele akho na iwase esizeni?
And wilt thou believe that he will return to thee thy seed, and bring [it] in [to] thy threshing-floor?
13 Impiko zentshe zitshaya kakuhle, kodwa ngeke zilinganiswe lempiko kanye lezinsiba zengabuzane.
The peacock has a beautiful wing: if the stork and the ostrich conceive, [it is worthy of notice],
14 Ibekela amaqanda ayo emhlabathini iwayekele afudumale etshebetshebeni,
for [the ostrich] will leave her eggs in the ground, and warm them on the dust,
15 inganakananga ukuthi unyawo oluthile lungawahlifiza, ukuthi inyamazana yeganga ethile ingawanyathela.
and has forgotten that the foot will scatter them, and the wild beasts of the field trample them.
16 Amatsiyane ayo iyawakhahlameza, kube sengathi akusi wayo; ingakhathali ukuthi ukubekela kwayo kwaba yize,
She has hardened [herself] against her young ones, as though [she bereaved] not herself: she labours in vain without fear.
17 ngoba uNkulunkulu kayiphanga ukuhlakanipha loba ingqondo yokubona okufaneleyo.
For God has withholden wisdom from her, and not given her a portion in understanding.
18 Kodwa nxa isiselula impiko zayo ukuthi igijime, iyalihleka ibhiza lomgadi walo.
In her season she will lift herself on high; she will scorn the horse and his rider.
19 Uyalipha na wena ibhiza amandla kumbe ugqokise intamo yalo ngomhlonga na?
Hast thou invested the horse with strength, and clothed his neck with terror?
20 Uyalenza leqe njengentethe na, lingethuse ngokuhwabha kwalo kokuziqenya?
And hast thou clad him in perfect armour, and made his breast glorious with courage?
21 Liyaphanda ngenkani, lithokoziswa ngamandla alo, lidlubulunde lihlasela isitha.
He paws exulting in the plain, and goes forth in strength into the plain.
22 Liyakuhleka ukwesaba, kalesabi lutho; kaliyikhekhelezi inkemba.
He laughs to scorn a king as he meets him, and will by no means turn back from the sword.
23 Umxhaka wemitshoko ukhehlezela emhlubulweni walo, ndawonye lomkhonto obenyezelayo kanye lomdikadika.
The bow and sword resound against him; and [his] rage will swallow up the ground:
24 Liyafuthelana ngamadlabuzane ligijime limbe phansi; kakulivumeli ukuma nxa icilongo selikhala.
and he will not believe until the trumpet sounds.
25 Konela ukuthi likhale icilongo lihwabhe lithi, ‘Aha!’ Lihle lilizwe iphunga lempi isesekhatshana, ukukhwaza kwezinduna lomkhosi wempi.
And when the trumpet sounds, he says, Aha! and afar off he smells the war with prancing and neighing.
26 Ukhozi luphatshiswa yikuhlakanipha kwakho na lwelule impiko zalo ziqonde eningizimu?
And does the hawk remain steady by thy wisdom, having spread out her wings unmoved, looking toward the region of the south?
27 Ukhozi luntweza ngokutshelwa nguwe yini kanye lokwakhela isidleke salo esiqongweni?
And does the eagle rise at thy command, and the vulture remain sitting over his nest,
28 Luhlala eliweni, lulale khona ebusuku; idwala elililiwa yilo inqaba yalo.
on a crag of a rock, and in a secret [place]?
29 Ludinga ukudla kwayo lusuka khona; amehlo alo akubona ekude.
Thence he seeks food, his eyes observe from far.
30 Amatsiyane alo azitika ngegazi, kuthi lapho okulokubuleweyo khona lalo lukhona.”
And his young ones roll themselves in blood, and wherever the carcasses may be, immediately they are found.
