UJobe 41
1 Ungamhudula yini uLeviyathani ngengwegwe, kumbe ulimi lwakhe ngentambo oyenza itshone?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook? or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Ungafaka yini umhlanga ekhaleni lakhe, kumbe ubhoboze umhlathi wakhe ngameva?
Canst thou put a ring into his nose? or bore 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 a banquet 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; think upon the battle, thou wilt do so no more.
9 Khangela, ithemba lakhe lizakuba ngamanga. Laye uzaphoselwa phansi yini ngokumbona?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain; shall 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 dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me?
11 Ngubani onganduleleyo ukuthi ngimbhadale? Okungaphansi kwamazulu wonke ngokwami.
Who hath given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.
12 Kangiyikuthula mayelana lezitho zakhe, lendaba yamandla akhe, lobuhle besimo sakhe.
Would I keep silence concerning his boastings, or his proud talk, or his fair array of words?
13 Ngubani ongabonakalisa ubuso besembatho sakhe? Ngubani ongeza lamatomu akhe aphindwe kabili?
Who can uncover the face of his garment? Who shall come within his double bridle?
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 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, 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 goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot and burning rushes.
21 Umoya wakhe uvuthela amalahle, lelangabi liphume emlonyeni wakhe.
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
22 Entanyeni yakhe kuhlala amandla, laphambi kwakhe kugiya usizi.
In his neck abideth strength, and dismay 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 despair they are beside themselves.
26 Ofinyelela kuye ngenkemba angeme, umkhonto, umtshoko, lomdikadika.
If one lay at him with the sword, it will not hold; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 Uthatha insimbi njengotshani, ithusi njengogodo olubolileyo.
He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 Umtshoko kawumenzi abaleke; amatshe esavutha aphendulwa nguye abe yizibi.
The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Isagila sitshaywa njengezibi; uhleka ukugenqeza komdikadika.
Clubs are accounted as stubble; he laugheth at the rattling of the javelin.
30 Ngaphansi kwakhe kulendengezi ezibukhali; wendlala izinto ezibukhali odakeni.
Sharpest potsherds are under him; he spreadeth a threshing-sledge 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 seething mixture.
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, who is made to be fearless.
34 Ukhangela konke okuphakemeyo; uyinkosi phezu kwabo bonke abantwana bokuzigqaja.
He looketh at all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.
