UJobe 38
1 INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
Then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —
2 Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
Who is it that darkeneth counsel, by words, without knowledge?
3 Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
Gird, I pray thee—like a strong man—thy loins, that I may ask thee, and inform thou me:
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
Where wast thou, when I founded the earth? Tell, if thou knowest understanding!
5 Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
Who set the measurements thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched out over it a line?
6 Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
Whereon were the pedestals thereof sunk? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; —
7 lapho inkanyezi zokusa zahlabela kanyekanye, lamadodana wonke kaNkulunkulu amemeza ngenjabulo?
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Kumbe ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngezivalo, lapho lufohla luphuma esiswini,
Or [who] shut in, with double doors, the sea, when, bursting out of the womb, it came forth;
9 lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
When I put a cloud as the garment thereof, and a thick cloud as the swaddling-band thereof;
10 Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
And brake off for it my boundary, and fixed a bar and double doors;
11 ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
And said—Hitherto, shalt thou come, and no further, —and, here, shalt thou set a limit to the majesty of thy waves?
12 Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
Since thy days [began] hast thou commanded the morning? or caused the dawn to know its place;
13 ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
That it might lay hold of the wings of the earth, and the lawless be shaken out of it?
14 Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
It transformeth itself like the clay of a seal, so that things stand forth like one arrayed;
15 Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
That their light may be withdrawn from the lawless, and, the lofty arm, be shivered.
16 Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? Or, through the secret recesses of the resounding deep, hast thou wandered?
17 Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee? And, the gates of the death-shade, couldst thou descry?
18 Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
Hast thou well considered, even the breadths of the earth? Tell—if thou knowest it all!
19 Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
Where then is the way, the light shall abide? And, the darkness, where then is its place?
20 ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
That thou mayest conduct it unto the bound thereof, and that thou mayest perceive the paths to its house.
21 Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
Thou knowest, for, then, hadst thou been born! And, in number, thy days are many!
22 Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
Hast thou entered into the treasuries of the snow? And, the treasuries of the hail, couldst thou see?
23 engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
Which I have reserved for a time of distress, for the day of conflict and of war?
24 Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
Where then is the way the lightning is parted? The east wind spreadeth itself abroad over the earth.
25 Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
Who hath cloven—for the torrent—a channel? Or a way for the lightning of thunders;
26 ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
To give rain over the no-man’s land, the desert, where no son of earth is;
27 ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
To satisfy the wild and the wilderness, to cause to spring forth the meadow of young grass?
28 Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
Out of whose womb, came forth the ice? And, the hoar-frost of the heavens, who hath given it birth?
30 Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
Like a stone, are the waters congealed, and, the face of the roaring deep, becometh firm!
31 Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
Canst thou bind the fetters of the Pleiades? Or, the bands of Orion, canst thou unloose?
32 Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
Canst thou bring forth the signs of the Zodiac each in its season? Or, the Bear and her Young, canst thou lead?
33 Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
Knowest thou, the statutes of the heavens? Or didst thou appoint his dominion over the earth?
34 Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
Canst thou lift up, to the thick cloud, thy voice, and the overflow of waters cover thee?
35 Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
Canst thou send forth the lightnings, so that they go, and say to thee, Behold us?
36 Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
Who hath put—into cloud-forms—wisdom? Or who hath given—to the meteor—understanding?
37 Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
Who can count the thin clouds, in wisdom? And, the bottles of the heavens, who can empty out;
38 lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
When the dust is cast into a clod, and the lumps are bound together?
39 Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
Wilt thou hunt—for the Lioness—prey? Or, the craving of the Strong Lion, wilt thou satisfy;
40 lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
When they settle down in dens, abide in covert, for lying in wait?
41 Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
Who prepareth for the Raven his nourishment, —when his young ones—unto GOD—cry out, [when] they wander for lack of food?
