UJobe 3
1 Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day,
2 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
and this is what he said:
3 Kalubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo, lobusuku okwathiwa ngalo: Kukhulelwe umntwana wesilisa.
May the day perish on which I was born, and the night, in which it was said, “A man has been conceived.”
4 Lolosuku kalube ngumnyama, uNkulunkulu angalunanzi ephezulu, lokukhanya kungalukhanyisi.
May that day be turned into darkness, may God not seek it from above, and may light not illuminate it.
5 Umnyama lethunzi lokufa kakuluhlenge, iyezi lihlale phezu kwalo, umnyama welanga ulwesabise.
Let darkness and the shadow of death obscure it, let a fog overtake it, and let it be enveloped in bitterness.
6 Lobobusuku, umnyama ububambe, lungathokozi ensukwini zomnyaka, lungezi kunani lezinyanga.
Let a whirlwind of darkness take hold of that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.
7 Khangela, lobobusuku kabube yinyumba, umsindo wentokozo ungangeni kubo.
May that night be alone and unworthy of praise.
8 Kababuqalekise abaqalekisi bosuku, abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
May they curse it, who curse the day, who are prepared to awaken a leviathan.
9 Zibe mnyama inkanyezi zokusa kwabo, bulindele ukukhanya, kodwa kungabi khona, bungaboni inkophe zokusa.
Let the stars be concealed with its darkness. Let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawn in the East.
10 Ngoba bungavalanga iminyango yesisu sikamama wami, bungafihlanga usizi emehlweni ami.
For it did not close the doors of the womb that bore me, nor take away evils from my eyes.
11 Kungani ngingafanga kusukela esizalweni, ngiphele ekuphumeni kwami esiswini?
Why did I not die in the womb? Having left the womb, why did I not immediately perish?
12 Kungani amadolo angandulela? Kungani lamabele ukuthi ngimunye?
Why was I received upon the knees? Why was I suckled at the breasts?
13 Ngoba khathesi ngabe ngacambalala ngathula, ngalala, khona ngaba lokuphumula,
For by now, I should have been sleeping silently, and taking rest in my sleep
14 kanye lamakhosi labeluleki bomhlaba abazakhela amanxiwa,
with the kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes,
15 kumbe kanye leziphathamandla ezazilegolide ezagcwalisa izindlu zazo ngesiliva.
either with princes, who possess gold and fill their houses with silver,
16 Kumbe njengomphunzo ofihliweyo ngingabi khona, njengensane ezingabonanga ukukhanya.
or, like a hidden miscarriage, I should not have continued, just like those who, being conceived, have not seen the light.
17 Lapho ababi bayekela ukuhlupha, lapho abakhathele ngamandla bephumula.
There the impious cease from rebellion, and there the wearied in strength take rest.
18 Izibotshwa ziyaphumula ndawonye, kazizwa ilizwi lomcindezeli.
And at such times, having been bound together without difficulty, they have not heard the voice of the bailiff.
19 Omncinyane lomkhulu balapho, lesigqili sikhululekile enkosini yaso.
The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Kungani enika ukukhanya kohluphekayo, lempilo kwabalokubaba komphefumulo;
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to those who are in bitterness of soul,
21 abalindele ukufa, kodwa kungekho, bekugebha kulenotho efihliweyo,
who expect death, and it does not arrive, like those who dig for treasure
22 abathabayo kakhulu ngentokozo, bajabule lapho bethola ingcwaba?
and who rejoice greatly when they have found the grave,
23 Emuntwini yini, ondlela yakhe ifihliwe, uNkulunkulu ambiyeleyo?
to a man whose way is hidden and whom God has surrounded with darkness?
24 Ngoba ukububula kwami kuza phambi kokudla kwami, lokubhonga kwami kuthululeka njengamanzi.
Before I eat, I sigh; and like overflowing waters, so is my howl,
25 Ngoba engikwesabayo ngokwesaba sekungehlele, lengilovalo ngakho kufikile kimi.
for the terror that I feared has happened to me, and so has the dread befallen me.
26 Ngangingahlalisekanga, ngingaphumuli, ngingelakuthula, lohlupho lweza.
Have I not remained hidden? Have I not kept silence? Have I not remained calm? Yet indignation has overcome me.
