UJobe 41
1 Ungamhudula yini uLeviyathani ngengwegwe, kumbe ulimi lwakhe ngentambo oyenza itshone?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Ungafaka yini umhlanga ekhaleni lakhe, kumbe ubhoboze umhlathi wakhe ngameva?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 Uzakuncenga kanengi yini? Uzakhuluma lawe ngathambileyo yini?
Will he make many supplications unto thee? Or will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 Uzakwenza isivumelwano lawe yini? Uzamthatha abe yinceku kokuphela yini?
Will he make a covenant with thee, That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
5 Uzadlala laye yini njengenyoni? Kumbe uzambophela amantombazana akho yini?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Abathengi bazathengiselana ngaye yini? Bazakwehlukaniselana ngaye yini phakathi kwabathengisayo?
Will the bands [of fishermen] make traffic of him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Uzagcwalisa yini isikhumba sakhe ngezinhlendla, lekhanda lakhe ngemikhonto yenhlanzi?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears?
8 Beka isandla sakho phezu kwakhe, khumbula impi, ungakwenzi futhi.
Lay thy hand upon him; Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 Khangela, ithemba lakhe lizakuba ngamanga. Laye uzaphoselwa phansi yini ngokumbona?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain: Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 Kakho olesihluku sokuthi amvuse. Ngubani-ke yena ongazimisa phambi kwami?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Ngubani onganduleleyo ukuthi ngimbhadale? Okungaphansi kwamazulu wonke ngokwami.
Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.
12 Kangiyikuthula mayelana lezitho zakhe, lendaba yamandla akhe, lobuhle besimo sakhe.
I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Ngubani ongabonakalisa ubuso besembatho sakhe? Ngubani ongeza lamatomu akhe aphindwe kabili?
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?
14 Ngubani ongavula iminyango yobuso bakhe? Amazinyo akhe ayesabeka inhlangothi zonke.
Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
15 Imizila yamahawu akhe ilokuziqhenya, ivalelwe ngophawu oluqinisiweyo.
[His] strong scales are [his] pride, Shut up together [as with] a close seal.
16 Elinye lisondele kwelinye, ukuze kungangeni umoya phakathi kwawo.
One is so near to another, That no air can come between them.
17 Ahlangene, abambana, ukuze angehlukaniswa.
They are joined one to another; They stick together, so that they cannot be sundered.
18 Ukuthimula kwakhe kuphazima ukukhanya, lamehlo akhe anjengenkophe zemadabukakusa.
His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma izihlanti, ziqhatshe ziphume inhlansi zomlilo.
Out of his mouth go burning torches, And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Emakhaleni akhe kuphuma intuthu, njengembiza ebilayo lemihlanga.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth, As of a boiling pot and [burning] rushes.
21 Umoya wakhe uvuthela amalahle, lelangabi liphume emlonyeni wakhe.
His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
22 Entanyeni yakhe kuhlala amandla, laphambi kwakhe kugiya usizi.
In his neck abideth strength, And terror danceth before him.
23 Amavinqo enyama yakhe anamathelene, aqinile kuye, kawanyikinyeki.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: They are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
24 Inhliziyo yakhe iqinile njengelitshe, yebo, ilukhuni njengelitshe lokuchola elingaphansi.
His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
25 Ekuvukeni kwakhe amaqhawe ayesaba, ngenxa yokwephulwa bayazihlambulula.
When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: By reason of consternation they are beside themselves.
26 Ofinyelela kuye ngenkemba angeme, umkhonto, umtshoko, lomdikadika.
If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail; Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 Uthatha insimbi njengotshani, ithusi njengogodo olubolileyo.
He counteth iron as straw, [And] brass as rotten wood.
28 Umtshoko kawumenzi abaleke; amatshe esavutha aphendulwa nguye abe yizibi.
The arrow cannot make him flee: Sling-stones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Isagila sitshaywa njengezibi; uhleka ukugenqeza komdikadika.
Clubs are counted as stubble: He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin.
30 Ngaphansi kwakhe kulendengezi ezibukhali; wendlala izinto ezibukhali odakeni.
His underparts are [like] sharp potsherds: He spreadeth [as it were] a threshing-wain upon the mire.
31 Wenza inziki zibile njengembiza, enze ulwandle lube njengembiza yamafutha.
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Ngemva kwakhe wenza indlela ikhanye; inziki zingathiwa ziyimpunga.
He maketh a path to shine after him; One would think the deep to be hoary.
33 Kakukho emhlabeni okufanana laye, owenziwa angabi lokwesaba.
Upon earth there is not his like, That is made without fear.
34 Ukhangela konke okuphakemeyo; uyinkosi phezu kwabo bonke abantwana bokuzigqaja.
He beholdeth everything that is high: He is king over all the sons of pride.
