UJobe 24
1 Kungani izikhathi zingafihlelwanga uSomandla, labamaziyo bengaboni insuku zakhe?
Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.
2 Bathuthukisa imingcele, baphange imihlambi bayeluse.
Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.
3 Baxotsha ubabhemi wezintandane, bathathe inkabi yomfelokazi ibe yisibambiso.
They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 Baphambula abaswelayo emigwaqweni; abayanga bomhlaba bacatsha ndawonye.
They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.
5 Khangelani, bangobabhemi beganga enkangala, baphumela emsebenzini wabo, badinge impango ngovivi; inkangala ibe yikudla kwakhe lokwabantwana.
Others like wild asses in the desert go forth to their work: by watching for a prey they get bread for their children.
6 Emasimini bavuna ukudla kwakhe, bakhothoze esivinini somubi.
They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.
7 Balala beze ebusuku bengelasembatho, bengelasigubuzelo emqandweni.
They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:
8 Bamanzi ngezihlambo zezintaba, babambelela edwaleni ngoba bengelasiphephelo.
Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
9 Bahluthuna intandane ebeleni, bathathe lesibambiso kumyanga.
They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.
10 Bahamba beze bengelasigqoko, labalambileyo bathwala isithungo.
From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.
11 Phakathi kwemiduli yabo bahluza amafutha, banyathela izikhamelo zewayini, kodwa bomile.
They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.
12 Abantu bayabubula besemzini, lomphefumulo wabalimeleyo uyakhala; kodwa uNkulunkulu kababaleli ukungalungi.
Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.
13 Bona baphakathi kwabavukela ukukhanya; kabazazi indlela zakhe, kabahlali emikhondweni yakhe.
They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.
14 Umbulali uyavuka ngovivi, abulale umyanga loswelayo; lebusuku unjengesela.
The murderer riseth at the very break of day, he killeth the needy, and the poor man: but in the night he will be as a thief.
15 Lelihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa, sisithi: Kakulalihlo elizangibona; sifake isimbombozo ebusweni baso.
The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover his face.
16 Emnyameni ugebha aphutshele ezindlini abaziphawulele zona emini; kabakwazi ukukhanya.
He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.
17 Ngoba ikuseni kanyekanye ilithunzi lokufa kubo; uba besaziwa bakuzesabiso zethunzi lokufa.
If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death: and they walk in darkness as if it were in light.
18 Ulula phezu kobuso bamanzi; isabelo sabo siqalekisiwe emhlabeni; kaphendukeli endleleni yezivini.
He is light upon the face of the water: cursed be his portion on the earth, let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.
19 Imbalela lokutshisa kuqeda amanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngokunjalo ingcwaba abonileyo. (Sheol h7585)
Let him pass from the snow waters to excessive heat, and his sin even to hell. (Sheol h7585)
20 Isizalo sizamkhohlwa, impethu izammunya, engabe esakhunjulwa, lenkohlakalo izakwephulwa njengesihlahla.
Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.
21 Udla ngokuminza inyumba engazaliyo, kamenzeli okuhle umfelokazi.
For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.
22 Njalo udonsa abalamandla ngamandla akhe, uyavuka, njalo kungabi lolethemba lempilo.
He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.
23 Uyamnika ukuze alondolozeke, eseyama kukho, kodwa amehlo akhe aphezu kwendlela zabo.
God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.
24 Bayaphakanyiswa okwesikhatshana, babesebengasekho, behliselwa phansi, bavalelwe njengaye wonke, bayaqunywa njengesihloko sesikhwebu.
They are lifted up for a little while and shall not stand, and shall be brought down as all things, and shall be taken away, and as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be broken.
25 Uba-ke kungenjalo, ngubani ongangenza umqambimanga, enze inkulumo yami ibe yize?
And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?
