UJobe 38
1 INkosi yasimphendula uJobe isesivunguzaneni yathi:
Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,
2 Ngubani lo ofiphaza iseluleko ngamazwi angelalwazi?
“Who is this who brings darkness to plans by means of words without knowledge?
3 Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
Now gird up your loins like a man for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me, if you have so much understanding.
5 Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know. Who stretched the measuring line over it?
6 Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
On what were its foundations laid? Who laid its cornerstone
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,
Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—
9 lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
when I made clouds its clothing, and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
10 Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary, and when I placed its bars and doors,
11 ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
and when I said to it, 'You may come this far, but no farther; here is where I will put a boundary to the pride of your waves.'
12 Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
Have you given orders to the morning, or caused the dawn to know its place,
13 ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
so that it might take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14 Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
The earth is changed in appearance like clay changes under a seal; all things on it stand out clearly like the folds of a piece of clothing.
15 Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
From wicked people their 'light' is taken away; their uplifted arm is broken.
16 Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
Have you gone to the sources of the waters of the sea? Have you walked in the lowest parts 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 understood the earth in its expanse? Tell me, if you know it all.
19 Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
Where is the way to the resting place of light— as for darkness, where is its place?
20 ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
Can you lead light and darkness to their places of work? Can you find the way back to their houses for them?
21 Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then; the number of your days is so large!
22 Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
Have you entered the storehouses for the snow, or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,
23 engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
these things that I have kept for times of trouble, for days of battle and war?
24 Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
What is the path to where the lightning bolts are distributed or to where the winds are scattered from the east over the earth?
25 Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
Who has created the channels for the floods of rain, or who has made a path for the thunder,
26 ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
to cause it to rain on lands where no person exists, and on the wilderness, in which there is no one,
27 ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
28 Izulu liloyise yini, kumbe ngubani owazala amathonsi amazolo?
Does the rain have a father, or, who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Ungqwaqwane waphuma esiswini sikabani? Njalo ngubani owazala iliqhwa lamazulu?
Out of whose womb did the ice come? Who bore the white frost out of the sky?
30 Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
The waters hide themselves and become like stone; the surface of the deep becomes frozen.
31 Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades, or undo the cords of Orion?
32 Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
Can you lead the constellations to appear at their proper times? Can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
Do you know the regulations of the sky? Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?
34 Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
35 Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out, that they say to you, 'Here we are'?
36 Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
Who has put wisdom in the clouds or has given understanding to the mists?
37 Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
Who can number the clouds by his skill? Who can pour out the water skins of the sky
38 lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
when the dust runs into a hard mass and the clods of earth clump tightly together?
39 Ungasizingelela yini isilwane ukudla, kumbe usuthise ukulamba kwezilwane ezintsha,
Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs
40 lapho zicathame emihomeni, zihlala esikhundleni ukuthi zicathame?
when they are crouching in their dens and sheltering in hiding to lie in wait?
41 Ngubani olungisela iwabayi ukudla kwalo, lapho amaphuphu alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu, ezulazula ngoba kungelakudla?
Who provides victims for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God and stagger about for lack of food?
