UJobe 28
1 Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
For there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
2 Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
Iron is taken out of the dust, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
Man setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out to the furthest bound the stones of thick darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
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 it were by fire.
6 Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon's eye seen it;
8 Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the lion passed thereby.
9 Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
He cutteth out channels among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; and the thing that is hid bringeth he 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 price thereof; neither is it 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.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
Gold and glass cannot equal it; neither shall the exchange thereof be vessels of fine gold.
18 Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued 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.
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
Destruction and Death say: 'We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.'
23 UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof.
24 Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
When He maketh a weight for the wind, and meteth out the waters by measure.
26 Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the storm of thunders;
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: 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'
