UJobe 31

1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?

I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.

2 Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?

For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?

Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?

4 Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?

Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?

5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,

If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,

6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.

let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;

If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands,

8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.

then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.

9 Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,

If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend’s door,

10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.

then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.

11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.

For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

12 Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.

It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.

13 Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,

If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,

14 pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?

then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him?

15 Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?

Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,

If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;

17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo

if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;

18 (ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),

(for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )

19 uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,

if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,

20 uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,

if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,

if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

22 kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.

then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.

23 Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.

For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.

24 Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.

If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’

25 Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;

if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;

26 uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,

if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,

27 lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,

so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,

28 lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.

which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;

29 Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;

if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,

30 njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;

for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;

31 uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.

if the men around my tabernacle have not said: “He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,”

32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.

for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;

33 Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.

if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;

34 Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.

if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door;

35 Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!

then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book,

36 Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.

which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?

37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.

With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.

38 Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,

So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,

39 uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,

if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,

40 kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.

then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)