UJobe 7
1 “Umuntu kakho ekutshikatshikeni okunzima yini emhlabeni? Insuku zakhe kazifani lezomuntu oqhatshiweyo na?
Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?
2 Njengesigqili siloyisa amathunzi okuhlwa, lanjengoqhatshiweyo elindele umholo wakhe,
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
3 kanjalo ngibekelwe izinyanga ezingelambadalo, lobusuku bosizi sebabelwe mina.
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
4 Ngithi nxa ngilala ngicabange ngithi, ‘Kuzakusa nini na’? Ubusuku buyadonsa ngiqwayize kuze kuse.
When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.
5 Umzimba wami uphihlika impethu lamathuthuva, isikhumba sami siyobukile siyabhibhidla.
My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
6 Insuku zami ziyaphangisa kulosungulo lomaluki, zisuka ziphele kungekho ithemba.
My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.
7 Khumbula, Oh Nkulunkulu, ukuthi impilo yami ngumoya nje; amehlo ami kawayikufa akubona njalo ukuthokoza.
O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
8 Ilihlo elingibonayo khathesi alisayikuphinde lingibone futhi; lizangidinga, kodwa ngizakuba ngingasekho.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again. (Sheol h7585)
10 Kasoze lanini aphinde angene endlini yakhe; indawo yakhe kayisayikubuye imazi lanini.
He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.
11 Ngakho-ke kangizukuthula; ngizakhuluma ubuhlungu obusemoyeni wami, ngizasola ngokudabuka komphefumulo wami.
So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.
12 Ngilulwandle yini, kumbe ngiyisilo semanzini okungaze lihlale lingilindile?
Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?
13 Ngithi lapho ngicabanga ukuthi umbheda wami uzangiduduza lecansi lami liphungule ukusola kwami,
When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
14 lakhona lapho liyangethusa ngamaphupho njalo lingethusele ngemibono,
Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
15 okwenza ngiqome ukuklinywa lokufa, kulalo umzimba wami.
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
16 Ngiyayeyisa impilo yami; kangiloyisi ukuphila okwaphakade. Ngiyekelani; insuku zami kazisatsho lutho.
I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.
17 Umuntu uyini ongaze uzihluphe kangaka ngaye, ungaze umnake kangaka,
What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
18 uze umhlole ekuseni insuku zonke njalo umlinge imizuzwana yonke na?
And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
19 Kawusoze uke ukhangele eceleni kwami na, loba uke ungixekele okomzuzwana yini?
How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?
20 Aluba ngenze isono, kuyini engikwenzileyo kuwe, wena mlindi wabantu? Kungani ukhethe ukuhlukuluza mina na? Sengingumthwalo kuwe na?
If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself?
21 Kungani ungaxoleli iziphambeko zami na, uthethelele izono zami? Ngoba kakusekhatshana ukuthi ngilale othulini; uzangidinga, kanti ngizabe ngingasekho.”
And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.
