UJobe 41
1 Ungamhudula yini uLeviyathani ngengwegwe, kumbe ulimi lwakhe ngentambo oyenza itshone?
Canst thou draw out the Crocodile with a fish-hook? Or, with a cord, canst thou fasten down his tongue?
2 Ungafaka yini umhlanga ekhaleni lakhe, kumbe ubhoboze umhlathi wakhe ngameva?
Wilt thou put a rush-cord on his nose? or, with a thorn, wilt thou pierce his jaw?
3 Uzakuncenga kanengi yini? Uzakhuluma lawe ngathambileyo yini?
Will he multiply unto thee supplications, or will he speak unto thee softly?
4 Uzakwenza isivumelwano lawe yini? Uzamthatha abe yinceku kokuphela yini?
Will he solemnise a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a life-long servant?
5 Uzadlala laye yini njengenyoni? Kumbe uzambophela amantombazana akho yini?
Wilt thou sport with him, as with a little bird? Or wilt thou bind him, for thy maidens?
6 Abathengi bazathengiselana ngaye yini? Bazakwehlukaniselana ngaye yini phakathi kwabathengisayo?
Shall the companions bargain over him? or will they part him among the traders?
7 Uzagcwalisa yini isikhumba sakhe ngezinhlendla, lekhanda lakhe ngemikhonto yenhlanzi?
Wilt thou fill, with darts, his skin? or, with fish-spears, his head?
8 Beka isandla sakho phezu kwakhe, khumbula impi, ungakwenzi futhi.
Lay thou upon him thy hand, remember the battle—no more!
9 Khangela, ithemba lakhe lizakuba ngamanga. Laye uzaphoselwa phansi yini ngokumbona?
Lo! any hope of him, hath been found deceptive, Even at the sight of him, shall not one be overwhelmed?
10 Kakho olesihluku sokuthi amvuse. Ngubani-ke yena ongazimisa phambi kwami?
None so bold, that he will rouse him! Who then is he that, before me, can stand?
11 Ngubani onganduleleyo ukuthi ngimbhadale? Okungaphansi kwamazulu wonke ngokwami.
Who hath forestalled me, that I may repay him? Under all the heavens, mine it is!
12 Kangiyikuthula mayelana lezitho zakhe, lendaba yamandla akhe, lobuhle besimo sakhe.
I will not pass by in silence his parts, or the matter of strength, or the grace of his armour.
13 Ngubani ongabonakalisa ubuso besembatho sakhe? Ngubani ongeza lamatomu akhe aphindwe kabili?
Who hath removed his outer garment, through his double row of teeth, who would enter?
14 Ngubani ongavula iminyango yobuso bakhe? Amazinyo akhe ayesabeka inhlangothi zonke.
The doors of his face, who hath opened? The circles of his teeth, are a terror!
15 Imizila yamahawu akhe ilokuziqhenya, ivalelwe ngophawu oluqinisiweyo.
A pride, are his arched sides, closed up, with a firm seal;
16 Elinye lisondele kwelinye, ukuze kungangeni umoya phakathi kwawo.
One to another, they join, and, air, cannot enter between them;
17 Ahlangene, abambana, ukuze angehlukaniswa.
Each to its fellow, they cleave, they grasp each other, and cannot be parted;
18 Ukuthimula kwakhe kuphazima ukukhanya, lamehlo akhe anjengenkophe zemadabukakusa.
His sneezings, flash forth light, and, his eyes, are like the eyelashes of the dawn;
19 Emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma izihlanti, ziqhatshe ziphume inhlansi zomlilo.
Out of his mouth, torches dart forth, sparks of fire, escape;
20 Emakhaleni akhe kuphuma intuthu, njengembiza ebilayo lemihlanga.
Out of his nostrils, proceedeth smoke, like a blown pot and rushes;
21 Umoya wakhe uvuthela amalahle, lelangabi liphume emlonyeni wakhe.
His breath, setteth coals ablaze, and, a flame, out of his mouth, proceedeth;
22 Entanyeni yakhe kuhlala amandla, laphambi kwakhe kugiya usizi.
In his neck, lodgeth strength, and, before him, danceth dismay;
23 Amavinqo enyama yakhe anamathelene, aqinile kuye, kawanyikinyeki.
The dewlaps of his flesh, cleave together, hardened upon him, they cannot be moved;
24 Inhliziyo yakhe iqinile njengelitshe, yebo, ilukhuni njengelitshe lokuchola elingaphansi.
His heart, is hardened like a stone, yea hardened, like the nether millstone;
25 Ekuvukeni kwakhe amaqhawe ayesaba, ngenxa yokwephulwa bayazihlambulula.
At his rising up, mighty men are afraid, by reason of terror, they are beside themselves:
26 Ofinyelela kuye ngenkemba angeme, umkhonto, umtshoko, lomdikadika.
As for him that assaileth him, the sword availeth not, spear, dart, or coat of mail:
27 Uthatha insimbi njengotshani, ithusi njengogodo olubolileyo.
He counteth iron as broken straw, and bronze as rotten wood:
28 Umtshoko kawumenzi abaleke; amatshe esavutha aphendulwa nguye abe yizibi.
The arrow, will not make him flee, Into chaff, are sling-stones changed by him:
29 Isagila sitshaywa njengezibi; uhleka ukugenqeza komdikadika.
As a straw, is a club accounted, and he laugheth at the whir of the javelin;
30 Ngaphansi kwakhe kulendengezi ezibukhali; wendlala izinto ezibukhali odakeni.
His underparts, are points of potsherd, a pointed threshing roller spreadeth out upon the slime:
31 Wenza inziki zibile njengembiza, enze ulwandle lube njengembiza yamafutha.
He causeth to boil, as a cauldron, the raging deep, the sea, he maketh like a brewing vessel:
32 Ngemva kwakhe wenza indlela ikhanye; inziki zingathiwa ziyimpunga.
After him, he lighteth up a path, one might think the resounding deep to be hoary!
33 Kakukho emhlabeni okufanana laye, owenziwa angabi lokwesaba.
There is not—upon the dust—his like, that hath been made to be without fear;
34 Ukhangela konke okuphakemeyo; uyinkosi phezu kwabo bonke abantwana bokuzigqaja.
Every thing lofty, he beholdeth, he, is king over all ravenous beasts.
