UJobe 12
1 Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 Ngoba isibili lingabantu, lenhlakanipho izakufa lani.
Of a truth, ye, are the people, and, with you, wisdom, will die.
3 Lami ngilengqondo njengani, kangiphansi kulani. Njalo ngubani ongelazo izinto ezinje?
I also, have a mind like you, I, fall not short, of you, But who hath not such things as these?
4 Ngiyinhlekisa kumngane wami, obiza kuNkulunkulu amphendule; olungileyo oqondileyo uyinhlekisa.
A laughing-stock to one’s neighbour, do I become, one who hath called upon GOD and he hath answered him! A laughing-stock—a righteous man without blame!
5 Uyisibane esidelelekayo emnakanweni wowonwabileyo; ulungele ukutshelela ngonyawo.
For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!
6 Amathente abaphangi alokuthula, labamthukuthelisayo uNkulunkulu bavikelekile, kulowo oletha uNkulunkulu esandleni sakhe.
At peace are the tents that belong to the spoilers, and there is security to them who provoke GOD, To him who bringeth a god in his hand.
7 Kodwa-ke buza khathesi inyamazana, zizakufundisa, lenyoni zamazulu, zizakutshela.
But, in very deed, ask, I pray thee, the beasts, and they will teach thee, and the bird of the heavens, and it will tell thee;
8 Kumbe khuluma lomhlaba, uzakufundisa, lenhlanzi zolwandle zizakulandisela.
Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
9 Ngubani ongaziyo phakathi kwakho konke lokhu ukuthi isandla sikaJehova sikwenzile lokhu?
Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?
10 Okusesandleni sakhe umphefumulo wakho konke okuphilayo, lomoya wayo yonke inyama yomuntu.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the flesh of men.
11 Indlebe kayihloli yini amazwi, njengolwanga luzinambithela ukudla?
Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?
12 Kwabadala kakhulu kulenhlakanipho, lebudeni bezinsuku kulokuqedisisa.
In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:
13 Kuye kukhona inhlakanipho lamandla, uleseluleko lokuqedisisa.
With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain counsel and understanding.
14 Khangela, udiliza, kungabe kusakhiwa; uvalela umuntu, kungabe kusavulwa.
Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:
15 Khangela, uvimbela amanzi, atshe; abesewathuma, agenqule umhlaba.
Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:
16 Kuye kukhona amandla lenhlakanipho; okhohlisiweyo lomkhohlisi bangabakhe.
With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.
17 Ukhupha abeluleki bahambe behlutshulwe, enze abehluleli babe yizithutha.
Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
18 Uthukulula isibopho samakhosi, abophe umbhinco enkalweni zawo.
The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:
19 Ukhupha abapristi bahambe behlutshulwe, awise abalamandla.
Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:
20 Uphambula inkulumo yabathembekileyo, asuse ukuqedisisa kwabasebekhulile.
Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:
21 Uthela ukudelela phezu kweziphathamandla, axegise umbhinco wabalamandla.
Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:
22 Wembula izinto ezijulileyo ezisemnyameni, akhuphele ekukhanyeni ithunzi lokufa.
Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:
23 Enze izizwe zibe zinkulu, abesezichitha; andise izizwe, abesezisusa.
Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:
24 Ususa inhliziyo yenhloko zabantu bomhlaba, aziduhise enkangala engelandlela.
Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:
25 Ziphumputhe emnyameni kungelakukhanya, uzenza zidiyazele njengodakiweyo.
They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.
