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 darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Bopha-ke ukhalo lwakho njengendoda, njalo ngizakubuza, njalo ungenze ngazi.
Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
4 Wawungaphi lapho ngimisa izisekelo zomhlaba? Tshono uba usazi ukuqedisisa.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
5 Ngubani owabeka izilinganiso zawo, uba ukwazi? Kumbe ngubani owelulela intambo yokulinganisa phezu kwawo?
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
6 Izisekelo zawo zamiswa phezu kwani? Kumbe ngubani owabeka ilitshe lawo lengonsi,
What were its foundations fastened on? Or 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,
“Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,
9 lapho ngimisa iyezi laba yisembatho salo, lomnyama onzima waba yimbeleko yalo?
when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 Njalo ngaluqumela isimiso, ngamisa imigoqo lezivalo,
marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
11 ngathi: Uzafika kuze kube lapha, kodwa ungedluli, lalapha kuzamelana lokuzigqaja kwamagagasi akho.
and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
12 Kusukela ensukwini zakho walawula ukusa yini, wenza ukudabuka kokusa ukuthi kwazi indawo yakho,
“Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 ukuthi kubambe imiphetho yomhlaba, ukuze kuthintithe ababi kuwo?
that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
14 Kuyaguquka njengebumba lophawu lokunamathisela, kuzimisa njengesembatho.
It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
15 Lakwababi ukukhanya kwabo kuyagodlwa, lengalo ephakemeyo iyephulwa.
From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
16 Usungenile emithonjeni yolwandle yini, wahamba usiya le lale ekudingeni inziki?
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Amasango okufa wawembulelwa yini, wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Uqedisisile yini kuze kube sebubanzini bomhlaba? Tshono uba ukwazi konke.
Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
19 Ingaphi indlela lapho okuhlala khona ukukhanya? Lomnyama, ingaphi indawo yawo,
“What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
20 ukuze ukuse emngceleni wakho, lokuthi uqedisise izindlela zomuzi wakho?
that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
21 Uyazi, ngoba wawusuzelwe, lenani lensuku zakho likhulu.
Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
22 Usungenile eziphaleni zeliqhwa elikhithikileyo yini, wabona iziphala zesiqhotho,
Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 engizigodle kuze kube yisikhathi sokuhlupheka, kuze kube lusuku lokulwa lolwempi?
which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 Ingaphi indlela lapho ukukhanya okwabiwa khona, umoya wempumalanga ohlakazeka khona emhlabeni?
By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 Ngubani owehlukanisela impophoma indlela yamanzi, lendlela yombane wemidumo,
Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
26 ukuthi line emhlabeni lapho okungelamuntu khona, enkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
27 ukusuthisa inkangala legwadule, lokuhlumisa ukuphuma kotshani?
to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
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?
Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the grey frost of the sky?
30 Amanzi afihlakele njengelitshe, lobuso bokujula bujiyile.
The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
31 Ungazibopha yini izibopho zesiLimela, kumbe uthukulule intambo zeziNja?
“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Ungakhupha yini izinkanyezi ngesikhathi sazo? Ungakhokhela yini iBhere kanye labantwana balo?
Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
33 Uyazazi yini izimiso zamazulu, kumbe ungamisa umbuso wazo emhlabeni?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
34 Ungaphakamisela yini ilizwi lakho emayezini, ukuthi ubunengi bamanzi bukusibekele?
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Ungathuma yini imibane ukuthi ihambe, ithi kuwe: Khangela, silapha?
Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Ngubani owabeka inhlakanipho emibilini? Kumbe ngubani onike ukuqedisisa engqondweni?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Ngubani ongabala amayezi ngenhlakanipho? Njalo ngubani ongalalisa imbodlela zamazulu,
Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
38 lapho uthuli luqina lube yizigaqa, lamagade anamathelane?
when the dust runs 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 the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the 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 for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
