UJobe 38
1 INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
2 Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
“Who is this who questions my wisdom by talking so ignorantly?
3 Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have such knowledge!
5 Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
Who decided its dimensions? Don't you know? Who stretched out a measuring line?
6 Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
What do its foundations rest upon? Who laid its cornerstone,
7 lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
when the stars of the morning sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
8 Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
Who laid down the boundaries of the sea when it was born?
9 lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
Who clothed it with clouds, and wrapped it in a blanket of deep darkness?
10 Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
I set its limits, marking its borders.
11 ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
I said, ‘You may come here, but no farther. Here is where your proud waves stop.’
12 Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
During your lifetime, have you ever ordered the morning to begin?
13 ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
Have you ever told the dawn where to appear that it might take hold of the corners of the earth and shake the wicked out?
14 Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
The earth is changed like clay under a seal; its features stand out like a crumpled garment.
15 Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
The ‘light’ of the wicked is taken away from them; their acts of violence are stopped.
16 Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
Have you entered the sources of the sea? Have you explored their hidden depths?
17 Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
Have you been shown where the gates of death are? Have you seen the gates of utter darkness?
18 Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
Do you know how far the earth extends? Tell me if you know all this!
19 Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
In which direction does light live? Where does darkness dwell?
20 ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
Can you take them home? Do you know the way to where they live?
21 Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
Of course you know, because you were already born then! You've lived so long!
22 Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
Have you been to where the snow is kept? Have you seen where the hail is held?
23 engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
I have stored them up for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle.
24 Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
Do you know the way to where light comes from, or to where the east wind blows over the earth?
25 Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
Who cuts a channel for the rain to flow? Who creates a path for the thunderbolt?
26 ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
Who brings rain to an uninhabited land, to a desert where nobody lives,
27 ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
to water a parched wasteland to make the green grass grow?
28 Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
Does the rain have a father? Who was the father of the dewdrops?
29 Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
Who was the mother of ice? Does the frost of the air have a mother?
30 Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
Water turns into rock-hard ice; its surface freezes solid.
31 Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
Can you tie together the stars of the Pleiades? Can you loosen the belt of the Orion constellation?
32 Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
Can you guide the stars of Mazzaroth at the right time? Can you direct the Great Bear constellation and its other stars?
33 Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you apply them to the earth?
34 Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
Can you shout to the clouds and command them to pour rain down on you?
35 Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
Can you send out bolts of lightning and direct them, so that they can answer you saying, ‘Here we are’?
36 Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
Who has placed wisdom inside people? Who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
Who is clever enough to count the clouds? Who can turn heaven's water jars on their sides
38 lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
when the dust has baked into a solid mass?
39 Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
Can you hunt prey for the lion? Can you feed the lion cubs
40 lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
as they crouch down in their dens and lie in wait in the bushes?
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, weak from starvation?
