UJobe 28
1 Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
2 Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
3 Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
[Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
5 Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6 Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
9 Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
[Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
10 Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
16 Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
17 Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
18 Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
20 Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
22 Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
23 UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
24 Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
25 Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
26 Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
27 Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
28 Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
