UJobe 3
1 Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
Then, opening his mouth, and cursing the day of his birth,
2 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
Job made answer and said,
3 Kalubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo, lobusuku okwathiwa ngalo: Kukhulelwe umntwana wesilisa.
Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.
4 Lolosuku kalube ngumnyama, uNkulunkulu angalunanzi ephezulu, lokukhanya kungalukhanyisi.
That day — let it be dark; let not God take note of it from on high, and let not the light be shining on it;
5 Umnyama lethunzi lokufa kakuluhlenge, iyezi lihlale phezu kwalo, umnyama welanga ulwesabise.
Let the dark and the black night take it for themselves; let it be covered with a cloud; let the dark shades of day send fear on it.
6 Lobobusuku, umnyama ububambe, lungathokozi ensukwini zomnyaka, lungezi kunani lezinyanga.
That night — let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Khangela, lobobusuku kabube yinyumba, umsindo wentokozo ungangeni kubo.
As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;
8 Kababuqalekise abaqalekisi bosuku, abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake.
9 Zibe mnyama inkanyezi zokusa kwabo, bulindele ukukhanya, kodwa kungabi khona, bungaboni inkophe zokusa.
Let its morning stars be dark; let it be looking for light, but may it not have any; let it not see the eyes of the dawn.
10 Ngoba bungavalanga iminyango yesisu sikamama wami, bungafihlanga usizi emehlweni ami.
Because it did not keep the doors of my mother's body shut, so that trouble might be veiled from my eyes.
11 Kungani ngingafanga kusukela esizalweni, ngiphele ekuphumeni kwami esiswini?
Why did death not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came out, give up my last breath?
12 Kungani amadolo angandulela? Kungani lamabele ukuthi ngimunye?
Why did the knees take me, or why the breasts that they might give me milk?
13 Ngoba khathesi ngabe ngacambalala ngathula, ngalala, khona ngaba lokuphumula,
For then I might have gone to my rest in quiet, and in sleep have been in peace,
14 kanye lamakhosi labeluleki bomhlaba abazakhela amanxiwa,
With kings and the wise ones of the earth, who put up great houses for themselves;
15 kumbe kanye leziphathamandla ezazilegolide ezagcwalisa izindlu zazo ngesiliva.
Or with rulers who had gold, and whose houses were full of silver;
16 Kumbe njengomphunzo ofihliweyo ngingabi khona, njengensane ezingabonanga ukukhanya.
Or as a child dead at birth I might never have come into existence; like young children who have not seen the light.
17 Lapho ababi bayekela ukuhlupha, lapho abakhathele ngamandla bephumula.
There the passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.
18 Izibotshwa ziyaphumula ndawonye, kazizwa ilizwi lomcindezeli.
There the prisoners are at peace together; the voice of the overseer comes not again to their ears.
19 Omncinyane lomkhulu balapho, lesigqili sikhululekile enkosini yaso.
The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Kungani enika ukukhanya kohluphekayo, lempilo kwabalokubaba komphefumulo;
Why does he give light to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul;
21 abalindele ukufa, kodwa kungekho, bekugebha kulenotho efihliweyo,
To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;
22 abathabayo kakhulu ngentokozo, bajabule lapho bethola ingcwaba?
Who are glad with great joy, and full of delight when they come to their last resting-place;
23 Emuntwini yini, ondlela yakhe ifihliwe, uNkulunkulu ambiyeleyo?
To a man whose way is veiled, and who is shut in by God?
24 Ngoba ukububula kwami kuza phambi kokudla kwami, lokubhonga kwami kuthululeka njengamanzi.
In place of my food I have grief, and cries of sorrow come from me like water.
25 Ngoba engikwesabayo ngokwesaba sekungehlele, lengilovalo ngakho kufikile kimi.
For I have a fear and it comes on me, and my heart is greatly troubled.
26 Ngangingahlalisekanga, ngingaphumuli, ngingelakuthula, lohlupho lweza.
I have no peace, no quiet, and no rest; nothing but pain comes on me.
