UJobe 24
1 Kungani izikhathi zingafihlelwanga uSomandla, labamaziyo bengaboni insuku zakhe?
Why are not times treasured up with the Almighty? why do not they that know him see his days?
2 Bathuthukisa imingcele, baphange imihlambi bayeluse.
They remove the landmarks; they violently take away the flocks and pasture them;
3 Baxotsha ubabhemi wezintandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge;
4 Baphambula abaswelayo emigwaqweni; abayanga bomhlaba bacatsha ndawonye.
They turn the needy out of the way: the afflicted of the land all hide themselves.
5 Khangelani, bangobabhemi beganga enkangala, baphumela emsebenzini wabo, badinge impango ngovivi; inkangala ibe yikudla kwakhe lokwabantwana.
Lo, [as] wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work, seeking early for the prey: the wilderness [yieldeth] them food for [their] children.
6 Emasimini bavuna ukudla kwakhe, bakhothoze esivinini somubi.
They reap in the field the fodder thereof, and they gather the vintage of the wicked;
7 Balala beze ebusuku bengelasembatho, bengelasigubuzelo emqandweni.
They pass the night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold;
8 Bamanzi ngezihlambo zezintaba, babambelela edwaleni ngoba bengelasiphephelo.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and for want of a shelter embrace the rock...
9 Bahluthuna intandane ebeleni, bathathe lesibambiso kumyanga.
They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor:
10 Bahamba beze bengelasigqoko, labalambileyo bathwala isithungo.
These go naked without clothing, and, hungry, they bear the sheaf;
11 Phakathi kwemiduli yabo bahluza amafutha, banyathela izikhamelo zewayini, kodwa bomile.
They press out oil within their walls, they tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 Abantu bayabubula besemzini, lomphefumulo wabalimeleyo uyakhala; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababaleli ukungalungi.
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out; and God imputeth not the impiety.
13 Bona baphakathi kwabavukela ukukhanya; kabazazi indlela zakhe, kabahlali emikhondweni yakhe.
There are those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14 Umbulali uyavuka ngovivi, abulale umyanga loswelayo; lebusuku unjengesela.
The murderer riseth with the light, killeth the afflicted and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 Lelihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa, sisithi: Kakulalihlo elizangibona; sifake isimbombozo ebusweni baso.
And the eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me; and he putteth a covering on [his] face.
16 Emnyameni ugebha aphutshele ezindlini abaziphawulele zona emini; kabakwazi ukukhanya.
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in; they know not the light:
17 Ngoba ikuseni kanyekanye ilithunzi lokufa kubo; uba besaziwa bakuzesabiso zethunzi lokufa.
For the morning is to them all [as] the shadow of death; for they are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 Ulula phezu kobuso bamanzi; isabelo sabo siqalekisiwe emhlabeni; kaphendukeli endleleni yezivini.
He is swift on the face of the waters; their portion is cursed on the earth: he turneth not unto the way of the vineyards.
19 Imbalela lokutshisa kuqeda amanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngokunjalo ingcwaba abonileyo. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume snow waters; so doth Sheol those that have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Isizalo sizamkhohlwa, impethu izammunya, engabe esakhunjulwa, lenkohlakalo izakwephulwa njengesihlahla.
The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him: he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree, —
21 Udla ngokuminza inyumba engazaliyo, kamenzeli okuhle umfelokazi.
He that despoileth the barren that beareth not, and doeth not good to the widow:
22 Njalo udonsa abalamandla ngamandla akhe, uyavuka, njalo kungabi lolethemba lempilo.
He draweth also the mighty with his power; he riseth up, and no [man] is sure of life.
23 Uyamnika ukuze alondolozeke, eseyama kukho, kodwa amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zabo.
[God] setteth him in safety, and he resteth thereon; but his eyes are upon their ways.
24 Bayaphakanyiswa okwesikhatshana, babesebengasekho, behliselwa phansi, bavalelwe njengaye wonke, bayaqunywa njengesihloko sesikhwebu.
They are exalted for a little, and are no more; they are laid low; like all [other] are they gathered, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 Uba-ke kungenjalo, ngubani ongangenza umqambimanga, enze inkulumo yami ibe yize?
If it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
