UJobe 31

1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?

I Made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?

[Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] 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, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my 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 my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;

8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.

[Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.

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

If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;

10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.

[Then] let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.

For this [is] a hainous crime; yea, it [is] 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 to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

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

If I despised 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 visiteth, 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 the poor from [their] desire, 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 of it;

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

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb; )

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

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he hath not been 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, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

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

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

For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

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

If I have rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because my hand had gained much;

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

If I have 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, or 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 judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

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

If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:

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

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

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

If the men of my tabernacle have not said, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.

The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveler.

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

If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:

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

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, 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 one would hear me! behold, my desire [is], [that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] my adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.

37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.

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

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

If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;

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

If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:

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

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