UJobe 38
1 INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
2 Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
3 Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
Where were you, when I set 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 set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
6 Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
7 lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
8 Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
9 lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
10 Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
11 ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
12 Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
13 ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
14 Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
15 Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
16 Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
17 Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
18 Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
19 Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
20 ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
21 Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
22 Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
23 engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
24 Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
25 Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
26 ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
27 ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
28 Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
29 Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
30 Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
31 Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
32 Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
33 Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
34 Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
35 Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
36 Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
37 Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
38 lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
39 Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
40 lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
41 Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
