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: but how can man be just with God?
3 Loba umuntu ubengafisa ukuphikisana laye ngeke amphendule lakanye emibuzweni eyinkulungwane.
If he be pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 Ukuhlakanipha kwakhe kujulile, amandla akhe makhulu. Ngubani kambe oke wamelana laye wasinda?
[He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 Uyazidudula izintaba zona zingazi lutho, azigenqule nxa esezondile.
Which removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger.
6 Uyawunyikinya umhlaba endaweni yawo, axukuxe izinsika zawo.
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Uyalitshela ilanga ukuba lingakhanyi; asibekele ukukhanya kwezinkanyezi.
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Nguye kuphela owelula amazulu, ohamba phezu kwamagagasi olwandle.
Which alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 UnguMenzi wezinkanyezi iNgulube leZinja, iSilimela lomthala waseningizimu.
Which maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Wenza imimangaliso engafinyelelekiyo, izimanga ezingelakubalwa.
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things without number.
11 Uthi nxa esedlula kimi, ngingamboni; ahambe khonapho ngingezwa lutho.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Nxa ehluthuna, ngubani ongamalela? Ngubani ongathi kuye, ‘Wenzani wena?’
Behold, he seizeth [the prey], who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 UNkulunkulu kalunqandi ulaka lwakhe; labasekeli bakaRahabi besaba bawela ezinyaweni zakhe.
God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.
14 Pho mina ngingaphikisana laye njani? Ngingawathatha ngaphi amazwi okujijana laye?
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words [to reason] with him?
15 Laloba ngingelamlandu, ngeke ngimphendule; ngingancenga uMahluleli wami kuphela ukuthi angihawukele.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to mine adversary.
16 Lanxa bengingambiza asabele, angikholwa ukuthi ubengangilalela.
If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.
17 Ubengangicobodisa ngesiphepho andise amanxeba ami kungelasizatho.
For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 Ubengasoze angiphe ithuba lokukhokha umoya kodwa ubezahle angincindezele ngosizi.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 Nxa kungokwamandla, alamandla amakhulu! Nxa kungokokwahlulela ngokulunga, ngubani ongamthonisisa?
If [we speak] of the strength of the mighty, lo, [he is there]! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?
20 Loba ngingabe ngimsulwa, umlomo wami ubungangilahla; lanxa ngimsulwa wona ubuzakuthi ngilecala.
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
21 Lanxa ngingelacala, angizihluphi ngami; ngiyayeyisa impilo yami.
I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
22 Kuyafanana konke; yikho ngisithi, ‘Ubhubhisa bonke abangelacala lababi.’
It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 Nxa isifo esibi sibulala ngokuphangisa, uyabahleka abangelacala ngokulahla kwabo ithemba.
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
24 Nxa ilizwe liwela ezandleni zababi, wembesa amehlo abahluleli balo. Nxa kungayisuye, pho ngubani?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if [it be] not [he], who then is it?
25 Amalanga ami alesiqubu esidlula esesithunywa; ayaphapha anyamalale kungela mthonselanyana wokuthokoza.
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 Antweza edlule njengezikepe zelala, njengenkozi zisehla zihwitha ezikudlayo.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
27 Nxa ngingathi, ‘Ngizakubeka eceleni ukusola kwami, ngicitshe ukunyukubala kwami, ngibobotheke,’
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer:
28 ngilokhu ngihemahema ngezinhlupho zami, ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi kawuzukungigeza.
I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Njengoba ngivele sengibekwe icala, ngizazihluphelani ngokulwela ize na?
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
30 Loba ngingaze ngigeze ngesepa lezandla zami ngesoda yokuhlambulula,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 uzavele ungiphosele emgodini olodaka ngize ngenyanywe yizigqoko zami.
Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 Akasumuntu njengami ukuthi ngingamphendula, ukuthi singamisana emthethwandaba.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
33 Aluba ubengabakhona osilamulayo, abeke isandla sakhe phezu kwethu sobabili,
There is no daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 omunye nje ongasusa uswazi lukaNkulunkulu kimi, ukuze ngingatshukunyiswa yikwesaba lokhu.
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid:
35 Lapho-ke bengizakhuluma ngingesabi yena, kodwa okwakhathesi kunje, ngeke.”
Then would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.
