< UJobe 17 >
1 Umoya wami wonakele, insuku zami zicitshiwe, amangcwaba ngawami.
My spirit is consumed, and my days are over; the grave is ready for me.
2 Kabakho lami yini abaklolodayo, lelihlo lami lichitha ubusuku ekuvukeleni kwabo?
Surely there are mockers with me; my eye must always see their provocation.
3 Akubeke isibambiso sami kuwe; ngubani yena ozatshaya esandleni sami?
Give now a pledge, be a guarantee for me with yourself; who else is there who will help me?
4 Ngoba inhliziyo yabo uyifihlele ukuqedisisa; ngenxa yalokhu kawuyikubaphakamisa.
For you, God, have kept their hearts from understanding; therefore, you will not exalt them over me.
5 Okhuluma ngokuyenga kubangane, lamehlo abantwana bakhe azafiphala.
He who denounces his friends for a reward, the eyes of his children will fail.
6 Njalo ungimise ngaba yisaga sezizwe, ngaze ngaba ngokhafulelwayo phambi kwazo.
But he has made me a byword of the people; they spit in my face.
7 Njalo ilihlo lami lifiphele ngosizi, lamalunga ami anjengesithunzi wonke.
My eye is also dim because of sorrow; all my body parts are as thin as shadows.
8 Abaqotho bazakwethuswa yikho, longelacala uvukela ongamesabiyo uNkulunkulu.
Upright men will be stunned by this; the innocent man will stir himself up against godless men.
9 Lolungileyo uzabambelela endleleni yakhe, lolezandla ezihlambulukileyo uzakwengeza amandla.
The righteous man will keep to his way; he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
10 Kodwa-ke lina lonke, phendukani ake libuye, ngoba kangitholi ohlakaniphileyo phakathi kwenu.
But as for you all, come on now; I will not find a wise man among you.
11 Insuku zami zedlule, amacebo ami adabuke phakathi, lezifiso zenhliziyo yami.
My days are past; my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart.
12 Bamisa ubusuku bube yimini; ukukhanya kuseduze phambi kobumnyama.
These people, these mockers, change the night into day; light is near to darkness.
13 Uba ngilinda, ingcwaba lizakuba yindlu yami; ngendlala umbheda wami emnyameni. (Sheol )
If the only home I hope for is Sheol; and if I have spread my couch in the darkness; (Sheol )
14 Ngibiza ingcwaba ngisithi: Wena ungubaba; impethu ngisithi: Umama lodadewethu.
and if I have said to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'You are my mother or my sister,'
15 Pho-ke ithemba lami lingaphi? Yebo, ithemba lami ngubani ozalibona?
where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see any?
16 Kuzakwehlela kumijabo yengcwaba, lapho sizaphumula khona ndawonye enhlabathini. (Sheol )
Will hope go down with me to the gates of Sheol when we descend to the dust?” (Sheol )