UJobe 9
1 Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
Then Job answered and said,
2 “Ngeqiniso ngiyazi ukuthi lokhu kuliqiniso. Kodwa umuntu wenyama angalunga yini kuNkulunkulu?
I know [it to be] so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3 Loba umuntu ubengafisa ukuphikisana laye ngeke amphendule lakanye emibuzweni eyinkulungwane.
If he will 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 hath prospered?
5 Uyazidudula izintaba zona zingazi lutho, azigenqule nxa esezondile.
Who removeth the mountains, and they know not: who overturneth them in his anger.
6 Uyawunyikinya umhlaba endaweni yawo, axukuxe izinsika zawo.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and its pillars tremble.
7 Uyalitshela ilanga ukuba lingakhanyi; asibekele ukukhanya kwezinkanyezi.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Nguye kuphela owelula amazulu, ohamba phezu kwamagagasi olwandle.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 UnguMenzi wezinkanyezi iNgulube leZinja, iSilimela lomthala waseningizimu.
Who maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Wenza imimangaliso engafinyelelekiyo, izimanga ezingelakubalwa.
Who doeth great things past finding out; yes, and wonders 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 taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What doest thou?
13 UNkulunkulu kalunqandi ulaka lwakhe; labasekeli bakaRahabi besaba bawela ezinyaweni zakhe.
[If] God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers 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, [but] I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Lanxa bengingambiza asabele, angikholwa ukuthi ubengangilalela.
If I had called, and he had answered me; [yet] I would not believe that he had hearkened to 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 [I speak] of strength, lo, [he is] strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time [to plead]?
20 Loba ngingabe ngimsulwa, umlomo wami ubungangilahla; lanxa ngimsulwa wona ubuzakuthi ngilecala.
If I justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me: [if I say], I [am] perfect, that also will prove me perverse.
21 Lanxa ngingelacala, angizihluphi ngami; ngiyayeyisa impilo yami.
[Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 Kuyafanana konke; yikho ngisithi, ‘Ubhubhisa bonke abangelacala lababi.’
This [is] one [thing], therefore I said [it], he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 Nxa isifo esibi sibulala ngokuphangisa, uyabahleka abangelacala ngokulahla kwabo ithemba.
If the scourge shall slay suddenly, he will laugh 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 its judges; if not, where, [and] who [is] he?
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] hasteth to the prey.
27 Nxa ngingathi, ‘Ngizakubeka eceleni ukusola kwami, ngicitshe ukunyukubala kwami, ngibobotheke,’
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort [myself]:
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?
[If] I am wicked, why then do I labor 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 my 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, [and] we should come together in judgment.
33 Aluba ubengabakhona osilamulayo, abeke isandla sakhe phezu kwethu sobabili,
Neither is there any judge between us, [that] might lay his hand upon us both.
34 omunye nje ongasusa uswazi lukaNkulunkulu kimi, ukuze ngingatshukunyiswa yikwesaba lokhu.
Let him take away his rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35 Lapho-ke bengizakhuluma ngingesabi yena, kodwa okwakhathesi kunje, ngeke.”
[Then] would I speak, and not fear him; but [it is] not so with me.
