UJobe 28
1 Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
“Surely there is a source for silver, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
Iron is taken from the dust, And bronze [from] the firm stone.
3 Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
He has set an end to darkness, And he is searching to all perfection, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
4 Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
A stream has broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, they wandered from man.
5 Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
The earth! Bread comes forth from it, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6 Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it has dust of gold.
7 Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
A path—a ravenous bird has not known it, Nor has an eye of the falcon scorched it,
8 Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
Nor have the sons of pride trodden it, The fierce lion has not passed over it.
9 Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
He sent forth his hand against the flint, He overturned mountains from the root.
10 Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
Among rocks, he has cleaved brooks, And his eye has seen every precious thing.
11 Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
He has bound overflowing rivers, And the hidden thing brings out [to] light.
12 Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
And the wisdom—from where is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
13 Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
Man has not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
The deep has said, It [is] not in me, And the sea has said, It is not with me.
15 Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed—its price.
16 Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17 Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
Gold and crystal do not equal it, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18 Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
19 Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
The topaz of Cush does not equal it, It is not valued with pure gold.
20 Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
And the wisdom—from where does it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
21 Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
It has been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the bird of the heavens It has been hidden.
22 Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard its fame.
23 UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
God has understood its way, And He has known its place.
24 Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
For He looks to the ends of the earth, He sees under the whole heavens,
25 Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
To make a weight for the wind, And He meted out the waters in measure.
26 Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
27 Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
Then He has seen and declares it, He has prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
And He says to man: Behold, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.”
