< UJobe 41 >
1 Ungamhudula yini uLeviyathani ngengwegwe, kumbe ulimi lwakhe ngentambo oyenza itshone?
Can you draw out leviathan (sea serpent) with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which you let down?
2 Ungafaka yini umhlanga ekhaleni lakhe, kumbe ubhoboze umhlathi wakhe ngameva?
Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Uzakuncenga kanengi yini? Uzakhuluma lawe ngathambileyo yini?
Will he make many supplications unto you? will he speak soft words unto you?
4 Uzakwenza isivumelwano lawe yini? Uzamthatha abe yinceku kokuphela yini?
Will he make a covenant with you? will you take him for a servant for ever?
5 Uzadlala laye yini njengenyoni? Kumbe uzambophela amantombazana akho yini?
Will you play with him as with a bird? or will you bind him for your maidens?
6 Abathengi bazathengiselana ngaye yini? Bazakwehlukaniselana ngaye yini phakathi kwabathengisayo?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Uzagcwalisa yini isikhumba sakhe ngezinhlendla, lekhanda lakhe ngemikhonto yenhlanzi?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8 Beka isandla sakho phezu kwakhe, khumbula impi, ungakwenzi futhi.
Lay your hand upon him, remember the battle, do 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 has prevented 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 conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Ngubani ongabonakalisa ubuso besembatho sakhe? Ngubani ongeza lamatomu akhe aphindwe kabili?
Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
14 Ngubani ongavula iminyango yobuso bakhe? Amazinyo akhe ayesabeka inhlangothi zonke.
Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
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.
By his exhaling a light does shine, 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 lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Emakhaleni akhe kuphuma intuthu, njengembiza ebilayo lemihlanga.
Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 Umoya wakhe uvuthela amalahle, lelangabi liphume emlonyeni wakhe.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Entanyeni yakhe kuhlala amandla, laphambi kwakhe kugiya usizi.
In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23 Amavinqo enyama yakhe anamathelene, aqinile kuye, kawanyikinyeki.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
24 Inhliziyo yakhe iqinile njengelitshe, yebo, ilukhuni njengelitshe lokuchola elingaphansi.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 Ekuvukeni kwakhe amaqhawe ayesaba, ngenxa yokwephulwa bayazihlambulula.
When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 Ofinyelela kuye ngenkemba angeme, umkhonto, umtshoko, lomdikadika.
The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the armour of jacket.
27 Uthatha insimbi njengotshani, ithusi njengogodo olubolileyo.
He esteems 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.
Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
30 Ngaphansi kwakhe kulendengezi ezibukhali; wendlala izinto ezibukhali odakeni.
Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire.
31 Wenza inziki zibile njengembiza, enze ulwandle lube njengembiza yamafutha.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Ngemva kwakhe wenza indlela ikhanye; inziki zingathiwa ziyimpunga.
He makes 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 without fear.
34 Ukhangela konke okuphakemeyo; uyinkosi phezu kwabo bonke abantwana bokuzigqaja.
He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.