UJobe 28
1 Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
“It is true that there are places where men dig to find silver, and there are places where people refine/purify gold [that they have dug].
2 Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
People dig iron [ore] out of the ground, and they (smelt copper ore/heat copper ore to get the copper from it).
3 Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
Men use lamps while they work far down under the ground to search for the ore inside the mines where it is very dark.
4 Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
They dig (shafts/narrow holes very deep down into the ground) in places that are far from where people live, where travelers do not go. They work far away from [other] people, swinging back and forth on ropes [as they descend into the mine shafts].
5 Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
Food grows on the surface of the ground, but down under the ground, [where there is no food, ] the miners make fires to break apart the rocks.
6 Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
The stones [that are dug from under the ground] contain (sapphires/very valuable blue stones), and the dirt contains bits of gold.
7 Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
[Some birds have very good eyes, ] but even hawks do not know [where the mines are], and falcons/vultures have not seen those places.
8 Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
Lions or [other] proud wild animals have not walked on the roads near those mines.
9 Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
Miners tear apart [MTY] very hard rock; [it is as though] they turn the mountains upside down [to get the ore].
10 Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
They cut tunnels through the rocks, and they find (precious/very valuable) things.
11 Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
They dam up small streams in order that water does not flow, and they bring up into the light valuable things that are hidden [in the ground and in the streams].
12 Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
“But wisdom: Where can people find that? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
13 Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
Humans do not know where to find it; no one can find it [here on this earth] where they are living.
14 Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
[It is as though] water that is deep [inside the earth] and [water that is in] the seas say [PRS], ‘Wisdom is not here!’
15 Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
[People] cannot buy wisdom by paying for it with silver or gold.
16 Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
Wisdom is worth much more than fine gold from Ophir [land] or other very valuable stones.
17 Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
It is worth much more than gold or beautiful glass, worth more than vases made from fine gold.
18 Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
Wisdom is worth more than coral or crystal/pure quartz; the price of wisdom is higher/more than the price of pearls.
19 Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
The prices of (topaz/very valuable yellow stones) from Ethiopia and of pure gold are lower/less than the price of wisdom.
20 Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
“So, where does wisdom come from? Where can we find out how to truly understand things?
21 Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
No living humans can see it [MTY]; and birds cannot see it while they are flying [MTY].
22 Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
[It is as though] the places where people go after they die say [PRS], ‘We have only heard rumors about [where to find wisdom].’
23 UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
God [is the only one who] knows how to find wisdom; he knows where it is,
24 Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
because he can see things even in the most remote/distant places on the earth; he can see everything that is below the sky.
25 Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
When he decided how strongly the winds should blow, and how much rain would be in the clouds,
26 Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
and when he decided where rain [should fall], and what path lightning should take [from the clouds down to the ground],
27 Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
at that time he saw wisdom and decided that it is extremely valuable. He examined it and (approved it/said that it was very good).
28 Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
And [then] he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is [what will enable you to become] wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”
