UJobe 3
1 Emva kwalokho uJobe wavula umlomo wakhe, waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
After this Job began speaking, cursing the day of his birth.
2 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
He said,
3 Kalubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo, lobusuku okwathiwa ngalo: Kukhulelwe umntwana wesilisa.
“Wipe out the day I was born, and the night when it was announced that a boy had been conceived.
4 Lolosuku kalube ngumnyama, uNkulunkulu angalunanzi ephezulu, lokukhanya kungalukhanyisi.
Turn that day to darkness. God above should not remember it. Don't let light shine on it.
5 Umnyama lethunzi lokufa kakuluhlenge, iyezi lihlale phezu kwalo, umnyama welanga ulwesabise.
Take it back, darkness and death-shadow. A black cloud should overshadow it. It should be as terrifying as the darkness of an eclipse during the day.
6 Lobobusuku, umnyama ububambe, lungathokozi ensukwini zomnyaka, lungezi kunani lezinyanga.
Blot out that night as if it never existed. Don't count it on the calendar. Don't let it have a day in any month.
7 Khangela, lobobusuku kabube yinyumba, umsindo wentokozo ungangeni kubo.
Let that night be childless, with no sounds of happiness heard.
8 Kababuqalekise abaqalekisi bosuku, abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
Those who place curses on certain days should curse it, those who have the power to raise Leviathan.
9 Zibe mnyama inkanyezi zokusa kwabo, bulindele ukukhanya, kodwa kungabi khona, bungaboni inkophe zokusa.
Its early morning stars should stay dark. Looking for light, may none come, may it not see the glimmer of dawn
10 Ngoba bungavalanga iminyango yesisu sikamama wami, bungafihlanga usizi emehlweni ami.
for it did not shut my mother's womb to prevent me from seeing trouble.
11 Kungani ngingafanga kusukela esizalweni, ngiphele ekuphumeni kwami esiswini?
Why wasn't I stillborn? Why didn't I die at birth?
12 Kungani amadolo angandulela? Kungani lamabele ukuthi ngimunye?
Why was there a lap for me to lie on, or breasts for me to suck?
13 Ngoba khathesi ngabe ngacambalala ngathula, ngalala, khona ngaba lokuphumula,
For now I would be lying down in peace. I would be sleeping and at rest,
14 kanye lamakhosi labeluleki bomhlaba abazakhela amanxiwa,
along with the kings of this world and their officials whose palaces now lie in ruins,
15 kumbe kanye leziphathamandla ezazilegolide ezagcwalisa izindlu zazo ngesiliva.
or with noblemen who collected gold and filled their houses with silver.
16 Kumbe njengomphunzo ofihliweyo ngingabi khona, njengensane ezingabonanga ukukhanya.
Why wasn't I a miscarriage, buried in secret, a baby who never saw the light?
17 Lapho ababi bayekela ukuhlupha, lapho abakhathele ngamandla bephumula.
There in the grave the wicked give no more trouble, and those whose strength is gone have their rest.
18 Izibotshwa ziyaphumula ndawonye, kazizwa ilizwi lomcindezeli.
There prisoners take it easy—they don't hear the commands of their oppressors.
19 Omncinyane lomkhulu balapho, lesigqili sikhululekile enkosini yaso.
Both small and great are there, and slaves are freed from their masters.
20 Kungani enika ukukhanya kohluphekayo, lempilo kwabalokubaba komphefumulo;
Why does God give life to those who are suffering, living bitterly miserable lives,
21 abalindele ukufa, kodwa kungekho, bekugebha kulenotho efihliweyo,
those who are waiting for death that does not come and who are looking for death more desperately than hunting for treasure?
22 abathabayo kakhulu ngentokozo, bajabule lapho bethola ingcwaba?
They're so incredibly happy when the reach the grave!
23 Emuntwini yini, ondlela yakhe ifihliwe, uNkulunkulu ambiyeleyo?
Why is light given to someone who doesn't know where they're going, someone God has fenced in?
24 Ngoba ukububula kwami kuza phambi kokudla kwami, lokubhonga kwami kuthululeka njengamanzi.
My groans are the bread I eat; my raging tears are the water I drink.
25 Ngoba engikwesabayo ngokwesaba sekungehlele, lengilovalo ngakho kufikile kimi.
For all that I feared has happened to me; everything that I dreaded has come upon me.
26 Ngangingahlalisekanga, ngingaphumuli, ngingelakuthula, lohlupho lweza.
I have no peace, no quiet, no rest. All that comes is rage.”
