UJobe 28
1 Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
“Surely 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 earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4 Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
5 Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
8 Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
Man doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t found in the land of the living.
14 Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15 Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.
16 Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
It can’t 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 can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.
20 Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
21 Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
23 UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
24 Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
25 Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures 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 lightning of the thunder,
27 Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
