UJobe 7
1 Kakukho yini imfazo kumuntu emhlabeni, lensuku zakhe kazinjengensuku zoqhatshiweyo yini?
Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?
2 Njengesigqili sikhefuzelela umthunzi, lanjengesiqatshwa silindele iholo laso,
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
3 ngokunjalo mina ngidliswe ilifa lenyanga zeze, lobusuku bezinhlupheko bubalelwe mina.
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
4 Lapho ngilala phansi ngithi: Ngizavuka nini? Ngoba ubusuku bude, njalo ngigcwele ukutshukuma kuze kuse.
When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.
5 Inyama yami yembethe impethu lamagade othuli; isikhumba sami siyadabuka siyenyanyeka.
My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
6 Insuku zami ziyaphangisa kuleselukiso someluki, ziphele kungelathemba.
My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.
7 Khumbula ukuthi impilo yami ingumoya; ilihlo lami kaliyikuphinda libone okuhle.
O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
8 Ilihlo longibonayo kaliyikungibona futhi; amehlo akho aphezu kwami, kodwa ngizakuba ngingasekho.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again. (Sheol h7585)
10 Kaphindi abuyele emzini wakhe, lendawo yakhe kayisayikumazi.
He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.
11 Ngakho mina kangiyikubamba umlomo wami; ngizakhuluma ekucindezelweni komoya wami, ngisole ekubabeni komphefumulo wami.
So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.
12 Ngilulwandle yini, kumbe isilo solwandle, ukuze lingibekele abalindi?
Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?
13 Lapho ngisithi: Umbheda wami uzangiduduza, icansi lami liphungule ukusola kwami;
When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
14 ubusungiqhaqhazelisa ngamaphupho, angethuse ngemibono;
Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
15 ukuze umphefumulo wami ukhethe ukuklinywa, ukufa kulamathambo ami.
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
16 Ngiyanengwa yikho, kangiyikuphila njalonjalo; ngiyekele, ngoba insuku zami ziyize.
I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.
17 Uyini umuntu ukuthi umkhulise, lokuthi ubeke inhliziyo yakho kuye,
What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
18 lokuthi umhambele ikuseni yonke, umlinge sonke isikhathi?
And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
19 Koze kube nini ungayekeli ukungiqaphela, ungangiyekeli ngize ngiginye amathe ami yini?
How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?
20 Ngonile, ngizakwenzani kuwe, wena mlindi wabantu? Ungimiseleni ngibe yinto yakho yokunenjwa, ngize ngibe ngumthwalo kimi?
If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself?
21 Njalo kawuthetheleli ngani isiphambeko sami, ususe isono sami? Ngoba sengizalala phansi othulini; uzangidinga ngovivi, kodwa kangiyikuba khona.
And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.
