UJobe 39
1 Uyasazi yini isikhathi sokuzala kwamagogo edwala? Uyananzelela yini ukuhelelwa kwezimpala?
[Say] if thou knowest the time of the bringing forth of the wild goats of the rock, and [if] thou hast marked the calving of the hinds:
2 Ungazibala yini inyanga ezizigcwalisayo? Njalo uyasazi yini isikhathi sokuzala kwazo?
and [if] thou has hast numbered the full months of their being with young, and [if] thou hast relieved their pangs:
3 Zigoba, zizale abantwana bazo, zikhuphe imihelo yazo.
and hast reared their young without fear; and wilt thou loosen their pangs?
4 Amazinyane azo aqine akhule egangeni; asuke ahambe, angabuyi kuzo.
Their young will break forth; they will be multiplied with offspring: [their young] will go forth, and will not return to them.
5 Ngubani owakhupha ubabhemi weganga ekhululekile? Njalo ngubani othukulule izibopho zikababhemi weganga,
And who is he that sent forth the wild ass free? and who loosed his bands?
6 engimmisele inkangala ibe ngumuzi wakhe, lesimunyu sibe zindawo zakhe zokuhlala?
whereas I made his habitation the wilderness, and the salt land his coverts.
7 Uhleka umsindo womuzi, angezwa imisindo yomtshayeli.
He laughs to scorn the multitude of the city, and hears not the chiding of the tax-gatherer.
8 Udinga izintaba ezilidlelo lakhe, edinga elandela konke okuluhlaza.
He will survey the mountains [as] his pasture, and he seeks after every green thing.
9 Inyathi iyavuma yini ukukusebenzela? Izalala yini esibayeni sakho ebusuku?
And will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or to lie down at thy manger?
10 Ungayibophela inyathi yini ngentambo yayo emfolweni? Ingabhuqa yini izihotsha emva kwakho?
And wilt thou bind his yoke with thongs, or will he plough furrows for thee in the plain?
11 Ungathembela kuyo yini ngoba amandla ayo makhulu? Ungayiyekelela yini umtshikatshika wakho?
And dost thou trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou commit thy works to him?
12 Ungayikholwa yini ukuthi izabuyisa inhlanyelo yakho, njalo iyibuthele ebaleni lokubhulela lakho?
And wilt thou believe that he will return to thee thy seed, and bring [it] in [to] thy threshing-floor?
13 Impiko zezintshe ziyaphaphazela ngentokozo; kodwa zizimpiko lezinsiba zengabuzane yini?
The peacock has a beautiful wing: if the stork and the ostrich conceive, [it is worthy of notice],
14 Ngoba itshiya amaqanda ayo emhlabathini, iwakhudumeze othulini,
for [the ostrich] will leave her eggs in the ground, and warm them on the dust,
15 iyakhohlwa ukuthi unyawo lungawachoboza, lokuthi isilo seganga singawanyathela.
and has forgotten that the foot will scatter them, and the wild beasts of the field trample them.
16 Iwaphatha kalukhuni amaphuphu ayo, kungathi kawayisiwo awayo; umtshikatshika wayo uyize, ingelakwesaba.
She has hardened [herself] against her young ones, as though [she bereaved] not herself: she labours in vain without fear.
17 Ngoba uNkulunkulu wayithathela inhlakanipho, kayabelanga ukuqedisisa.
For God has withholden wisdom from her, and not given her a portion in understanding.
18 Lapho sekuyisikhathi iyaziphakamisela phezulu, ihleke ibhiza lomgadi walo.
In her season she will lift herself on high; she will scorn the horse and his rider.
19 Uzanika yini ibhiza amandla? Uyayigqokisa yini intamo yalo ngomhlonga oyephuzelayo?
Hast thou invested the horse with strength, and clothed his neck with terror?
20 Uyalenza leqe yini njengentethe? Ubukhosi bokukhala kwalo buyesabeka.
And hast thou clad him in perfect armour, and made his breast glorious with courage?
21 Liyaphanda esihotsheni, lithokoze ngamandla alo, liphume ukuhlangabeza izikhali.
He paws exulting in the plain, and goes forth in strength into the plain.
22 Liyakuhleka ukwesaba, kalesabi, kaliphenduki phambi kwenkemba.
He laughs to scorn a king as he meets him, and will by no means turn back from the sword.
23 Phezu kwalo isamba semitshoko siyakhehlezela, umkhonto ophazimayo lomdikadika.
The bow and sword resound against him; and [his] rage will swallow up the ground:
24 Ngokuqhuqha lokufutheka liginye umhlaba; kalikholwa ukuthi ngumsindo wophondo.
and he will not believe until the trumpet sounds.
25 Ekukhaleni kophondo lithi: Aha! Linuke impi ikhatshana, umdumo wezinduna, lokumemeza.
And when the trumpet sounds, he says, Aha! and afar off he smells the war with prancing and neighing.
26 Ukhozi luyaphapha yini ngokuqedisisa kwakho, luselulela impiko zalo eningizimu?
And does the hawk remain steady by thy wisdom, having spread out her wings unmoved, looking toward the region of the south?
27 Ilinqe liyaqonga ngokulaya kwakho, lakhe isidleke salo engqongeni yini?
And does the eagle rise at thy command, and the vulture remain sitting over his nest,
28 Lihlala lilale ebusuku edwaleni, engqongeni yedwala leyenqaba.
on a crag of a rock, and in a secret [place]?
29 Lisuka lapho lidinga ukudla; amehlo alo abonela khatshana.
Thence he seeks food, his eyes observe from far.
30 Lamaphuphu alo azitika ngegazi; lalapho okukhona ababuleweyo likhona.
And his young ones roll themselves in blood, and wherever the carcasses may be, immediately they are found.
