UJobe 24
1 Kungani izikhathi zingafihlelwanga uSomandla, labamaziyo bengaboni insuku zakhe?
Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2 Bathuthukisa imingcele, baphange imihlambi bayeluse.
[Some] remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed [thereof].
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 poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5 Khangelani, bangobabhemi beganga enkangala, baphumela emsebenzini wabo, badinge impango ngovivi; inkangala ibe yikudla kwakhe lokwabantwana.
Behold, [as] wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness [yieldeth] food for them [and] for [their] children.
6 Emasimini bavuna ukudla kwakhe, bakhothoze esivinini somubi.
They reap [every one] his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7 Balala beze ebusuku bengelasembatho, bengelasigubuzelo emqandweni.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that [they have] no covering in the cold.
8 Bamanzi ngezihlambo zezintaba, babambelela edwaleni ngoba bengelasiphephelo.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
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.
They cause [him] to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf [from] the hungry;
11 Phakathi kwemiduli yabo bahluza amafutha, banyathela izikhamelo zewayini, kodwa bomile.
[Which] make oil within their walls, [and] 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: yet God layeth not folly [to them].
13 Bona baphakathi kwabavukela ukukhanya; kabazazi indlela zakhe, kabahlali emikhondweni yakhe.
They are of 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 rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 Lelihlo lesiphingi lilindela ukuhlwa, sisithi: Kakulalihlo elizangibona; sifake isimbombozo ebusweni baso.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth [his] face.
16 Emnyameni ugebha aphutshele ezindlini abaziphawulele zona emini; kabakwazi ukukhanya.
In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17 Ngoba ikuseni kanyekanye ilithunzi lokufa kubo; uba besaziwa bakuzesabiso zethunzi lokufa.
For the morning [is] to them even as the shadow of death: if [one] know [them, they are in] the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 Ulula phezu kobuso bamanzi; isabelo sabo siqalekisiwe emhlabeni; kaphendukeli endleleni yezivini.
He [is] swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19 Imbalela lokutshisa kuqeda amanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngokunjalo ingcwaba abonileyo. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [so doth] the grave [those which] have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Isizalo sizamkhohlwa, impethu izammunya, engabe esakhunjulwa, lenkohlakalo izakwephulwa njengesihlahla.
The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21 Udla ngokuminza inyumba engazaliyo, kamenzeli okuhle umfelokazi.
He evil entreateth 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.
[Though] it be given him [to be] in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes [are] upon their ways.
24 Bayaphakanyiswa okwesikhatshana, babesebengasekho, behliselwa phansi, bavalelwe njengaye wonke, bayaqunywa njengesihloko sesikhwebu.
They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all [other], and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 Uba-ke kungenjalo, ngubani ongangenza umqambimanga, enze inkulumo yami ibe yize?
And if [it be] not [so] now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
