UJobe 41
1 Ungamhudula yini uLeviyathani ngengwegwe, kumbe ulimi lwakhe ngentambo oyenza itshone?
“Can you 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?
Can you 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 petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
4 Uzakwenza isivumelwano lawe yini? Uzamthatha abe yinceku kokuphela yini?
Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
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 girls?
6 Abathengi bazathengiselana ngaye yini? Bazakwehlukaniselana ngaye yini phakathi kwabathengisayo?
Will traders barter for him? Will 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 on 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. Won’t 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 who can stand before me?
11 Ngubani onganduleleyo ukuthi ngimbhadale? Okungaphansi kwamazulu wonke ngokwami.
Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens 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 will come within his jaws?
14 Ngubani ongavula iminyango yobuso bakhe? Amazinyo akhe ayesabeka inhlangothi zonke.
Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
15 Imizila yamahawu akhe ilokuziqhenya, ivalelwe ngophawu oluqinisiweyo.
Strong scales are his pride, shut up together 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 to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
18 Ukuthimula kwakhe kuphazima ukukhanya, lamehlo akhe anjengenkophe zemadabukakusa.
His sneezing flashes out light. 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. Sparks of fire leap out.
20 Emakhaleni akhe kuphuma intuthu, njengembiza ebilayo lemihlanga.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 Umoya wakhe uvuthela amalahle, lelangabi liphume emlonyeni wakhe.
His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Entanyeni yakhe kuhlala amandla, laphambi kwakhe kugiya usizi.
There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
23 Amavinqo enyama yakhe anamathelene, aqinile kuye, kawanyikinyeki.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.
24 Inhliziyo yakhe iqinile njengelitshe, yebo, ilukhuni njengelitshe lokuchola elingaphansi.
His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 Ekuvukeni kwakhe amaqhawe ayesaba, ngenxa yokwephulwa bayazihlambulula.
When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
26 Ofinyelela kuye ngenkemba angeme, umkhonto, umtshoko, lomdikadika.
If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 Uthatha insimbi njengotshani, ithusi njengogodo olubolileyo.
He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28 Umtshoko kawumenzi abaleke; amatshe esavutha aphendulwa nguye abe yizibi.
The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 Isagila sitshaywa njengezibi; uhleka ukugenqeza komdikadika.
Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 Ngaphansi kwakhe kulendengezi ezibukhali; wendlala izinto ezibukhali odakeni.
His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
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 shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
33 Kakukho emhlabeni okufanana laye, owenziwa angabi lokwesaba.
On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
34 Ukhangela konke okuphakemeyo; uyinkosi phezu kwabo bonke abantwana bokuzigqaja.
He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”
