UJobe 29
1 UJobe wasebuya ephakamisa isaga sakhe wathi:
And Job continued his parable and said,
2 Kungathi ngabe nginjengenyangeni zamandulo, njengensukwini uNkulunkulu angigcine ngazo,
Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;
3 lapho isibane sakhe sakhanya phezu kwekhanda lami; ngahamba emnyameni ngokukhanya kwakhe!
When his lamp shone over my head, [and] by his light I walked through darkness;
4 Njengoba nganginjalo ensukwini zokuvuthwa kwami, lapho iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwethente lami,
As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of God was over my tent,
5 lapho uSomandla wayeseselami, labantwana bami bengiphahlile,
When the Almighty was yet with me, my young men round about me;
6 lapho ngagezisa izinyathelo zami ngolaza, ledwala langithululela imifula yamafutha!
When my steps were bathed in milk, and the rock poured out beside me rivers of oil! ...
7 Lapho ngaphuma ngaya esangweni ngidabula umuzi, ngalungisa isihlalo sami emdangeni;
When I went out to the gate by the city, when I prepared my seat on the broadway,
8 amajaha angibona, acatsha; lamaxhegu asukuma ema;
The young men saw me, and hid themselves; and the aged arose [and] stood up;
9 iziphathamandla zayekela ukukhuluma, zabeka isandla phezu komlomo wazo;
Princes refrained from talking, and laid the hand on their mouth;
10 ilizwi labakhulu lacatsha, lolimi lwabo lwanamathela elwangeni lwabo.
The voice of the nobles was hushed, and their tongue cleaved to their palate.
11 Lapho indlebe isizwa yangibusisa, lelihlo libona langifakazela,
When the ear heard [me], then it blessed me, and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me;
12 ngoba ngakhulula umyanga okhalayo, lentandane, longelamsizi.
For I delivered the afflicted that cried, and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Isibusiso sobhubhayo sehlele phezu kwami, njalo ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi ihlabele ngentokozo.
The blessing of him that was perishing came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
14 Ngembatha ukulunga, kwangembesa; isahlulelo sami saba njengesembatho lomqhele.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was as a mantle and a turban.
15 Ngangingamehlo koyisiphofu, ngangizinyawo kusiqhuli.
I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame;
16 Nganginguyise wabayanga, lendaba engingayaziyo ngayihlolisisa.
I was a father to the needy, and the cause which I knew not I searched out;
17 Ngasengisephula umhlathi womubi, ngamenza alahle impango emazinyweni akhe.
And I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
18 Ngasengisithi: Ngizaphela lesidleke sami, ngandise insuku njengetshebetshebe.
And I said, I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand;
19 Impande zami zinabele emanzini, lamazolo alale ubusuku ogatsheni lwami.
My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;
20 Udumo lwami lutsha kimi, ledandili lami laguquka esandleni sami.
My glory shall be fresh in me, and my bow be renewed in my hand.
21 Bangilalela, belindele, bathulela iseluleko sami.
Unto me they listened, and waited, and kept silence for my counsel:
22 Emva kwelizwi lami kabaphendulanga, lelizwi lami lathontela phezu kwabo.
After my words they spoke not again, and my speech dropped upon them;
23 Bangilindela njengezulu, lomlomo wabo bawukhamisela izulu lokucina.
And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 Lapho ngibahlekela, kabakholwanga, lokukhanya kobuso bami kabakuwiselanga phansi.
[If] I laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and they troubled not the serenity of my countenance.
25 Ngakhetha indlela yabo ngahlala ngiyinhloko, ngahlala njengenkosi phakathi kweviyo, njengoduduza abalilayo.
I chose their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth mourners.
