UJobe 28
1 Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
2 Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
3 Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
4 Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
5 Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
6 Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
8 Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
9 Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
10 Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
11 Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
12 Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
13 Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
14 Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
16 Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
17 Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
18 Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
19 Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
20 Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
21 Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
22 Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
23 UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
24 Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
25 Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
26 Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
27 Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
28 Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
