UJobe 39
1 Uyasazi yini isikhathi sokuzala kwamagogo edwala? Uyananzelela yini ukuhelelwa kwezimpala?
Have you knowledge of the rock-goats? or do you see the roes giving birth to their young?
2 Ungazibala yini inyanga ezizigcwalisayo? Njalo uyasazi yini isikhathi sokuzala kwazo?
Is the number of their months fixed by you? or is the time when they give birth ordered by you?
3 Zigoba, zizale abantwana bazo, zikhuphe imihelo yazo.
They are bent down, they give birth to their young, they let loose the fruit of their body.
4 Amazinyane azo aqine akhule egangeni; asuke ahambe, angabuyi kuzo.
Their young ones are strong, living in the open country; they go out and do not come back again.
5 Ngubani owakhupha ubabhemi weganga ekhululekile? Njalo ngubani othukulule izibopho zikababhemi weganga,
Who has let the ass of the fields go free? or made loose the bands of the loud-voiced beast?
6 engimmisele inkangala ibe ngumuzi wakhe, lesimunyu sibe zindawo zakhe zokuhlala?
To whom I have given the waste land for a heritage, and the salt land as a living-place.
7 Uhleka umsindo womuzi, angezwa imisindo yomtshayeli.
He makes sport of the noise of the town; the voice of the driver does not come to his ears;
8 Udinga izintaba ezilidlelo lakhe, edinga elandela konke okuluhlaza.
He goes looking for his grass-lands in the mountains, searching out every green thing.
9 Inyathi iyavuma yini ukukusebenzela? Izalala yini esibayeni sakho ebusuku?
Will the ox of the mountains be your servant? or is his night's resting-place by your food-store?
10 Ungayibophela inyathi yini ngentambo yayo emfolweni? Ingabhuqa yini izihotsha emva kwakho?
Will he be pulling your plough with cords, turning up the valleys after you?
11 Ungathembela kuyo yini ngoba amandla ayo makhulu? Ungayiyekelela yini umtshikatshika wakho?
Will you put your faith in him, because his strength is great? will you give the fruit of your work into his care?
12 Ungayikholwa yini ukuthi izabuyisa inhlanyelo yakho, njalo iyibuthele ebaleni lokubhulela lakho?
Will you be looking for him to come back, and get in your seed to the crushing-floor?
13 Impiko zezintshe ziyaphaphazela ngentokozo; kodwa zizimpiko lezinsiba zengabuzane yini?
Is the wing of the ostrich feeble, or is it because she has no feathers,
14 Ngoba itshiya amaqanda ayo emhlabathini, iwakhudumeze othulini,
That she puts her eggs on the earth, warming them in the dust,
15 iyakhohlwa ukuthi unyawo lungawachoboza, lokuthi isilo seganga singawanyathela.
Without a thought that they may be crushed by the foot, and broken by the beasts of the field?
16 Iwaphatha kalukhuni amaphuphu ayo, kungathi kawayisiwo awayo; umtshikatshika wayo uyize, ingelakwesaba.
She is cruel to her young ones, as if they were not hers; her work is to no purpose; she has no fear.
17 Ngoba uNkulunkulu wayithathela inhlakanipho, kayabelanga ukuqedisisa.
For God has taken wisdom from her mind, and given her no measure of knowledge.
18 Lapho sekuyisikhathi iyaziphakamisela phezulu, ihleke ibhiza lomgadi walo.
When she is shaking her wings on high, she makes sport of the horse and of him who is seated on him.
19 Uzanika yini ibhiza amandla? Uyayigqokisa yini intamo yalo ngomhlonga oyephuzelayo?
Do you give strength to the horse? is it by your hand that his neck is clothed with power?
20 Uyalenza leqe yini njengentethe? Ubukhosi bokukhala kwalo buyesabeka.
Is it through you that he is shaking like a locust, in the pride of his loud-sounding breath?
21 Liyaphanda esihotsheni, lithokoze ngamandla alo, liphume ukuhlangabeza izikhali.
He is stamping with joy in the valley; he makes sport of fear.
22 Liyakuhleka ukwesaba, kalesabi, kaliphenduki phambi kwenkemba.
In his strength he goes out against the arms of war, turning not away from the sword.
23 Phezu kwalo isamba semitshoko siyakhehlezela, umkhonto ophazimayo lomdikadika.
The bow is sounding against him; he sees the shining point of spear and arrow.
24 Ngokuqhuqha lokufutheka liginye umhlaba; kalikholwa ukuthi ngumsindo wophondo.
Shaking with passion, he is biting the earth; he is not able to keep quiet at the sound of the horn;
25 Ekukhaleni kophondo lithi: Aha! Linuke impi ikhatshana, umdumo wezinduna, lokumemeza.
When it comes to his ears he says, Aha! He is smelling the fight from far off, and hearing the thunder of the captains, and the war-cries.
26 Ukhozi luyaphapha yini ngokuqedisisa kwakho, luselulela impiko zalo eningizimu?
Is it through your knowledge that the hawk takes his flight, stretching out his wings to the south?
27 Ilinqe liyaqonga ngokulaya kwakho, lakhe isidleke salo engqongeni yini?
Or is it by your orders that the eagle goes up, and makes his resting-place on high?
28 Lihlala lilale ebusuku edwaleni, engqongeni yedwala leyenqaba.
On the rock is his house, and on the mountain-top his strong place.
29 Lisuka lapho lidinga ukudla; amehlo alo abonela khatshana.
From there he is watching for food; his eye sees it far off.
30 Lamaphuphu alo azitika ngegazi; lalapho okukhona ababuleweyo likhona.
His young have blood for their drink, and where the dead bodies are, there is he to be seen.
