UJobe 38
1 INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5 Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone,
7 lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
9 lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket,
10 Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors,
11 ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’?
12 Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
13 ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14 Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.
15 Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.
16 Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep?
17 Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
Have you surveyed the extent of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.
19 Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
Where is the way to the home of light? Do you know where darkness resides,
20 ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
so you can lead it back to its border? Do you know the paths to its home?
21 Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
Surely you know, for you were already born! And the number of your days is great!
22 Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
Have you entered the storehouses of snow or observed the storehouses of hail,
23 engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle?
24 Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth?
25 Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
Who cuts a channel for the flood or clears a path for the thunderbolt,
26 ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives,
27 ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass?
28 Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven,
30 Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?
31 Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?
32 Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs?
33 Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?
34 Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
35 Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
Can you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
Who has put wisdom in the heart or given understanding to the mind?
37 Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Or who can tilt the water jars of the heavens
38 lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods of earth stick together?
39 Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions
40 lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
