UJobe 9
1 Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
Then Job answered and said:
2 “Ngeqiniso ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu kuliqiniso. Kodwa umuntu wenyama angalunga yini kuNkulunkulu?
Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
3 Loba umuntu ubengafisa ukuphikisana laye ngeke amphendule lakanye emibuzweni eyinkulungwane.
If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
4 Ukuhlakanipha kwakhe kujulile, amandla akhe makhulu. Ngubani kambe oke wamelana laye wasinda?
He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 Uyazidudula izintaba zona zingazi lutho, azigenqule nxa esezondile.
He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
6 Uyawunyikinya umhlaba endaweni yawo, axukuxe izinsika zawo.
He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Uyalitshela ilanga ukuba lingakhanyi; asibekele ukukhanya kwezinkanyezi.
He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
8 Nguye kuphela owelula amazulu, ohamba phezu kwamagagasi olwandle.
He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
9 UnguMenzi wezinkanyezi iNgulube leZinja, iSilimela lomthala waseningizimu.
He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
10 Wenza imimangaliso engafinyelelekiyo, izimanga ezingelakubalwa.
He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
11 Uthi nxa esedlula kimi, ngingamboni; ahambe khonapho ngingezwa lutho.
Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
12 Nxa ehluthuna, ngubani ongamalela? Ngubani ongathi kuye, ‘Wenzani wena?’
Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
13 UNkulunkulu kalunqandi ulaka lwakhe; labasekeli bakaRahabi besaba bawela ezinyaweni zakhe.
God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
14 Pho mina ngingaphikisana laye njani? Ngingawathatha ngaphi amazwi okujijana laye?
How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
15 Laloba ngingelamlandu, ngeke ngimphendule; ngingancenga uMahluleli wami kuphela ukuthi angihawukele.
Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
16 Lanxa bengingambiza asabele, angikholwa ukuthi ubengangilalela.
Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
17 Ubengangicobodisa ngesiphepho andise amanxeba ami kungelasizatho.
He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
18 Ubengasoze angiphe ithuba lokukhokha umoya kodwa ubezahle angincindezele ngosizi.
Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
19 Nxa kungokwamandla, alamandla amakhulu! Nxa kungokokwahlulela ngokulunga, ngubani ongamthonisisa?
If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
20 Loba ngingabe ngimsulwa, umlomo wami ubungangilahla; lanxa ngimsulwa wona ubuzakuthi ngilecala.
Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
21 Lanxa ngingelacala, angizihluphi ngami; ngiyayeyisa impilo yami.
Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
22 Kuyafanana konke; yikho ngisithi, ‘Ubhubhisa bonke abangelacala lababi.’
It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
23 Nxa isifo esibi sibulala ngokuphangisa, uyabahleka abangelacala ngokulahla kwabo ithemba.
When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
24 Nxa ilizwe liwela ezandleni zababi, wembesa amehlo abahluleli balo. Nxa kungayisuye, pho ngubani?
The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covereth the face of the judges thereof; If it be not He, who is it?
25 Amalanga ami alesiqubu esidlula esesithunywa; ayaphapha anyamalale kungela mthonselanyana wokuthokoza.
My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
26 Antweza edlule njengezikepe zelala, njengenkozi zisehla zihwitha ezikudlayo.
They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
27 Nxa ngingathi, ‘Ngizakubeka eceleni ukusola kwami, ngicitshe ukunyukubala kwami, ngibobotheke,’
If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
28 ngilokhu ngihemahema ngezinhlupho zami, ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi kawuzukungigeza.
Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Njengoba ngivele sengibekwe icala, ngizazihluphelani ngokulwela ize na?
I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
30 Loba ngingaze ngigeze ngesepa lezandla zami ngesoda yokuhlambulula,
If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
31 uzavele ungiphosele emgodini olodaka ngize ngenyanywe yizigqoko zami.
Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
32 Akasumuntu njengami ukuthi ngingamphendula, ukuthi singamisana emthethwandaba.
For He is not a man, as I am, that I may contend with him, And that we may go together into judgment;
33 Aluba ubengabakhona osilamulayo, abeke isandla sakhe phezu kwethu sobabili,
There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
34 omunye nje ongasusa uswazi lukaNkulunkulu kimi, ukuze ngingatshukunyiswa yikwesaba lokhu.
Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
35 Lapho-ke bengizakhuluma ngingesabi yena, kodwa okwakhathesi kunje, ngeke.”
Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
