UJobe 14
1 Umuntu, ozelwe ngowesifazana ulensuku ezimfitshane, ezigcwele inhlupheko.
Man, who is born of woman, lives only a few days and is full of trouble.
2 Uyavela njengeluba, abune, abaleke njengesithunzi, akemi.
He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down; he flees like a shadow and does not last.
3 Kambe onjalo umvulela amehlo akho, ungingenise ekwahlulelweni kanye lawe.
Do you look at any of these? Do you bring me into judgment with you?
4 Ngubani ongaveza okuhlambulukileyo kokungcolileyo? Kakho loyedwa.
Who can bring something clean out of something unclean? No one.
5 Lokhu insuku zakhe zimisiwe, inani lenyanga zakhe likuwe, ummisele imingcele yakhe angeyedlule;
Man's days are determined. The number of his months is with you; you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.
6 ungamkhangeli, ukuze aphumule, aze athokoze ngosuku lwakhe njengesiqatshwa.
Look away from him that he may rest, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.
7 Ngoba kukhona ithemba esihlahleni uba siganyulwa ukuthi sizabuya sihlume, lokuthi ihlumela laso kaliyikuphela.
There can be hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it might sprout again, so that its tender stalk does not disappear.
8 Lanxa impande yaso isiba ndala emhlabeni, lesiphunzi saso sifele emhlabathini,
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,
9 ngephunga lamanzi sizahluma, senze ingatsha njengesithombo.
yet even if it only smells water, it will bud and send out branches like a plant.
10 Kodwa umuntu uyafa alaliswe phansi, yebo, umuntu uyaphela, ungaphi-ke?
But man dies; he becomes weak; indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?
11 Amanzi ayemuka elwandle, lomfula uyoma utshe,
As water disappears from a lake, and as a river loses water and dries up,
12 ngokunjalo umuntu uyalala phansi angavuki; kuze kuthi amazulu angabikho, bangavuki, kumbe bangaphatshanyiswa ebuthongweni babo.
so people lie down and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused out of their sleep.
13 Kungathi ungangifihla engcwabeni, ungithukuze, ize iphenduke intukuthelo yakho, ungimisele isikhathi esimisiweyo, ungikhumbule! (Sheol h7585)
Oh, that you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles, and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over, that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind! (Sheol h7585)
14 Uba umuntu esifa, uzabuya aphile yini? Zonke insuku zemfazo yami ngizalinda, kuze kufike ukukhululwa kwami.
If a man dies, will he live again? If so, I would wish to wait all my weary time there until my release should come.
15 Uzabiza, mina-ke ngizasabela, uzalangatha umsebenzi wezandla zakho.
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16 Kanti khathesi uyazibala izinyathelo zami; kawuyikuqaphelisa ngesono sami yini?
You would number and care for my footsteps; you would not keep track of my sin.
17 Isiphambeko sami sinanyekwe esikhwameni, wasusibekela isono sami.
My transgression would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover up my iniquity.
18 Isibili-ke intaba ewayo iyabhidlika, ledwala liyasuswa endaweni yalo.
But even mountains fall and come to nothing; even rocks are moved out of their place;
19 Amanzi ayaguguda amatshe, impophoma zawo ziyakhukhula ubhuqu lomhlaba. Uyachitha-ke ithemba lomuntu.
the waters wear down the stones; their flooding washes away the dust of the earth. Like this, you destroy the hope of man.
20 Uyamehlula phakade, adlule; uyaguqula ubuso bakhe, umxotshe.
You always defeat him, and he passes away; you change his face and send him away to die.
21 Amadodana akhe ayadunyiswa, kodwa engakwazi; kumbe ayehliselwa phansi, kodwa angakunanzeleli.
If his sons are honored, he does not know it; and if they are brought low, he does not see it.
22 Kodwa inyama yakhe kuye isebuhlungwini, lomphefumulo wakhe kuye uyalila.
He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns for himself.
