UJobe 31

1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?

I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?

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

For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

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

Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?

5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,

If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit —

6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.

Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —

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

If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands;

8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

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

If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;

10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.

Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.

For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

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

For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me —

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

What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him?

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

Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb?

16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,

If I have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —

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

Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb.

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

If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

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

If his loins 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 against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;

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

Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

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

For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.

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

If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence';

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

If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

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

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand;

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

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.

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

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him —

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

Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse.

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

If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?'

32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.

The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside.

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

If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom —

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

Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door.

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

Oh that I had one to hear me! — Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me — and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

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

Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.

37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

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

If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;

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

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed —

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

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.