UJobe 31

1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?

A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?

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

And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?

3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?

Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?

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

Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;

5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,

[And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.

6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.

Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,

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

If my step have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have cleaved to my hands:

8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.

Then let me sow, and let another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.

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

If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:

10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.

Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;

11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.

For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;

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

For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.

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

If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:

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

What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could I answer him?

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

Did not he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,

If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];

17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo

Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;

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

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )

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

If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

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

If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:

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

Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;

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

For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.

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

If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:

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

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

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

If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:

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

And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:

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

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.

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

If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —

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

But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —

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

If the men of my tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —

32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.

In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;

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

If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;

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

Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go out of the door; —

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

Oh who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —

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

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

37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.

The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—

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

If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;

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

If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:

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

Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)