UJobe 31

1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?

I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on a virgin?

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

For what is the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?

3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?

I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.

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

Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?

5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,

If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,

6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.

let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know my integrity.

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

If my step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.

then let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.

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

If my heart has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.

then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.

11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.

For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.

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

For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.

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

If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with me,

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

what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?

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

Did the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?

16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,

If I have withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,

17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo

or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—

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

because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.

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

If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;

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

if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool of my sheep,

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

if I have lifted up my hand against fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!

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

If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.

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

For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.

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

If I have made gold my hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';

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

if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!

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

If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,

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

and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—

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

this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.

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

If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!

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

Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.

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

If the men of my tent have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'

32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.

(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!

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

If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic

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

(because I feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!

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

Oh, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!

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

Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.

37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.

I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.

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

If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,

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

if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

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

then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.