UJobe 3
1 Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
And this is what he said:
3 Kalubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo, lobusuku okwathiwa ngalo: Kukhulelwe umntwana wesilisa.
“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 Lolosuku kalube ngumnyama, uNkulunkulu angalunanzi ephezulu, lokukhanya kungalukhanyisi.
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 Umnyama lethunzi lokufa kakuluhlenge, iyezi lihlale phezu kwalo, umnyama welanga ulwesabise.
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 Lobobusuku, umnyama ububambe, lungathokozi ensukwini zomnyaka, lungezi kunani lezinyanga.
If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
7 Khangela, lobobusuku kabube yinyumba, umsindo wentokozo ungangeni kubo.
Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 Kababuqalekise abaqalekisi bosuku, abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Zibe mnyama inkanyezi zokusa kwabo, bulindele ukukhanya, kodwa kungabi khona, bungaboni inkophe zokusa.
May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 Ngoba bungavalanga iminyango yesisu sikamama wami, bungafihlanga usizi emehlweni ami.
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 Kungani ngingafanga kusukela esizalweni, ngiphele ekuphumeni kwami esiswini?
Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 Kungani amadolo angandulela? Kungani lamabele ukuthi ngimunye?
Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 Ngoba khathesi ngabe ngacambalala ngathula, ngalala, khona ngaba lokuphumula,
For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 kanye lamakhosi labeluleki bomhlaba abazakhela amanxiwa,
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 kumbe kanye leziphathamandla ezazilegolide ezagcwalisa izindlu zazo ngesiliva.
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 Kumbe njengomphunzo ofihliweyo ngingabi khona, njengensane ezingabonanga ukukhanya.
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 Lapho ababi bayekela ukuhlupha, lapho abakhathele ngamandla bephumula.
There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 Izibotshwa ziyaphumula ndawonye, kazizwa ilizwi lomcindezeli.
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 Omncinyane lomkhulu balapho, lesigqili sikhululekile enkosini yaso.
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 Kungani enika ukukhanya kohluphekayo, lempilo kwabalokubaba komphefumulo;
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 abalindele ukufa, kodwa kungekho, bekugebha kulenotho efihliweyo,
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 abathabayo kakhulu ngentokozo, bajabule lapho bethola ingcwaba?
who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
23 Emuntwini yini, ondlela yakhe ifihliwe, uNkulunkulu ambiyeleyo?
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 Ngoba ukububula kwami kuza phambi kokudla kwami, lokubhonga kwami kuthululeka njengamanzi.
I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 Ngoba engikwesabayo ngokwesaba sekungehlele, lengilovalo ngakho kufikile kimi.
For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 Ngangingahlalisekanga, ngingaphumuli, ngingelakuthula, lohlupho lweza.
I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
