UJobe 5
1 “Memeza nxa uthanda, kodwa ngubani ozakuphendula na? Uzaphendukela kuwuphi wabangcwele na?
Call now, see if any will answer thee! And to which of the holy ones wilt thou look?
2 Ukucaphuka kuyasibulala isiwula lomhawu uyamqeda oyisithutha.
Verily grief destroyeth the fool, And wrath consumeth the weak man.
3 Mina ngokwami sengasibona isiwula siphumelela, kodwa masinyane nje indlu yaso yayisiqalekisiwe.
I have seen an impious man taking root, But soon I cursed his habitation.
4 Abantwabaso kabavikelekanga lakancinyane, baphoselwa entolongweni bengelamvikeli.
His children are far from safety; They are oppressed at the gate, and there is none to deliver them.
5 Abalambileyo bayazidlela isivuno sakhe, besithatha kanye lasemeveni, labomileyo bahahabela inotho yakhe.
His harvest the hungry devour, Carrying it even through the thorns; And a snare gapeth after his substance.
6 Ngoba ubunzima kabugobhozi emhlabathini, loba uhlupho luhlume phansi.
For affliction cometh not from the dust, Nor doth trouble spring up from the ground;
7 Kodwa umuntu uzalelwa ukuhlupheka njengoba ngeqiniso inhlansi zomlilo ziqhatshela phezulu.
Behold, man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.
8 Kodwa aluba ubuyimi, bengizamncenga uNkulunkulu; bengizakwethula udubo lwami kuye.
I would look to God, And to God would I commit my cause,
9 Uyazenza izimanga ezingelakulinganiswa, imimangaliso engelakubalwa.
Who doeth great things and unsearchable; Yea, marvellous things without number;
10 Uyanisa izulu emhlabeni; uthumela amanzi elizweni.
Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth water upon the fields;
11 Abaphansi uyabakhweza phezulu, lalabo abakhalayo ubaphakamisela ekuphepheni.
Who placeth the lowly in high places, And restoreth the afflicted to prosperity;
12 Uyawafubisa amacebo amaqili, ukuze izandla zawo zingaphumeleli.
Who disappointeth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprises;
13 Uyababamba abahlakaniphileyo ebuqilini babo, kuthi amaqhinga eziphoxo achitheke.
Who taketh the wise in their own craftiness, And bringeth to nought the counsel of the artful.
14 Ubumnyama buyabehlela emini; phakathi kwemini bayaphumputha kungathi kusebusuku.
They meet with darkness in the daytime; They grope at noon as if it were night.
15 Uyabasindisa abaswelayo baphephe inkemba emlonyeni wabo; uyabasindisa ekubanjweni ngabalamandla.
So he saveth the persecuted from their mouth; The oppressed from the hand of the mighty.
16 Ngakho abayanga balalo ithemba, ukwahlulela kubi kuvala owakho umlomo.
So the poor hath hope, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
17 Ubusisiwe umuntu oqondiswa nguNkulunkulu; ngakho ungaseyisi isijeziso sikaSomandla.
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth; Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
18 Ngoba uyagwaza, kodwa aphinde abophe amanxeba; uyalimaza kodwa izandla zakhe njalo ziyapholisa.
For he bruiseth, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole.
19 Uzakuhlenga ezinhluphekweni eziyisithupha; kweziyisikhombisa kawuyikuwelwa yingozi.
In six troubles will he deliver thee; Yea, in seven shall no evil touch thee.
20 Ngesikhathi sendlala uzakuhlenga ekufeni, lasempini akuhlenge ekugaleleni kwenkemba.
In famine he will redeem thee from death, And in war from the power of the sword.
21 Uzavikelwa ekuhletshweni, ungaze wesaba nxa kufika incithakalo.
Thou shalt be safe from the scourge of the tongue, And shalt not be afraid of destruction, when it cometh.
22 Uzakuhleka ukuchithakala kanye lendlala, njalo ungaze wazesaba izilo zomhlaba.
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh, And of the wild beasts of the land shalt thou not be afraid.
23 Ngoba uzakuba lesivumelwano lamatshe eganga, lezinyamazana zeganga zizahlalisana kuhle lawe.
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; Yea, the beasts of the forest shall be at peace with thee.
24 Uzakwazi ukuthi ithente lakho livikelekile; uzahlolisisa impahla yakho uthole kungelalutho olungekho.
Thou shalt find that thy tent is in peace; Thou shalt visit thy dwelling, and not be disappointed.
25 Uzakwazi ukuthi abantwabakho bazakuba banengi, lesizukulwane sakho sibe ngangotshani bomhlaba.
Thou shalt see thy descendants numerous, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 Uzakuza engcwabeni usukhulile okugcweleyo njengezikhwebu zamabele eziqoqwa seziphelele.
Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age, As a shock of corn gathered in its season.
27 Sesikuhlolile lokhu, kuliqiniso. Ngakho kuzwisise, ukulandele wena ngokwakho.”
Lo! this we have searched out; so it is: Hear it, and lay it up in thy mind!
