UJobe 9
1 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
Job replied,
2 Ngeqiniso ngiyazi ukuthi kunjalo. Kodwa umuntu angalunga njani kuNkulunkulu?
“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
3 Uba efisa ukuphikisana laye, kayikumphendula okukodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane.
If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
4 Uhlakaniphile enhliziyweni, uqinile emandleni: Ngubani oziqinisileyo wamelana laye waphumelela?
God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
5 Osusa izintaba njalo zingazi, ozigenqula entukuthelweni yakhe.
God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
6 Onyikinya umhlaba awususe endaweni yawo, lensika zawo zizamazame.
He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
7 Olaya ilanga ukuthi lingaphumi, avalele inkanyezi ngophawu.
He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
8 Owendlala amazulu eyedwa, anyathele phezu kwezingqonga zolwandle.
He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 Owenza iBhere, iziNja, lesiLimela, lamakamelo eningizimu.
He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
10 Owenza izinto ezinkulu ezingelakuhlolwa, lezimangalisayo ezingelakubalwa.
He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
11 Khangela, uyedlula phansi kwami ngingamboni, edlulele phambili ngingamuzwa.
But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
12 Khangela, uyahluthuna, ngubani ongamnqanda? Ngubani ongathi kuye: Wenzani?
If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 UNkulunkulu kayinqandi intukuthelo yakhe. Abasizi bakaRahabi bayakhothama phansi kwakhe.
God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
14 Pho-ke, mina ngingamphendula ngithini, ngikhethe amazwi ami okuqondana laye?
So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
15 Ebengingeke ngamphendula loba bengilungile; ngizacela isihawu kumahluleli wami.
Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
16 Uba bengibizile, wangiphendula, bengingayikukholwa ukuthi ubekile indlebe elizwini lami.
Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
17 Ngoba uyangihlifiza ngesiphepho, andise amanxeba ami kungelasizatho.
He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
18 Kangivumeli ukukhokha umoya, kodwa engigcwalisa ngezinto ezibabayo.
He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
19 Uba kungamandla, khangela, ulamandla. Njalo uba kungesahlulelo, ngubani ozangibiza?
If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
20 Aluba ngilungile, umlomo wami uzangilahla; uba ngiphelele, uzakuthi ngonakele.
Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
21 Ngiphelele, angikhathaleli umphefumulo wami, ngidelela impilo yami.
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
22 Kunye lokho, ngenxa yalokho ngithi: Uyabhubhisa olungileyo lomubi.
That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
23 Lapho isiswepu sibulala ngokujumayo, uzahleka ukudangala kwabangelacala.
When disaster strikes suddenly he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 Umhlaba unikelwe esandleni somubi; wembesa ubuso babehluleli bawo. Uba kungenjalo, pho, ngubani?
The earth has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
25 Njalo insuku zami zilejubane kulesigijimi; ziyabaleka, kaziboni okuhle.
The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
26 Ziyedlula njengezikepe zomhlanga, njengokhozi olutheleka empangweni.
They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 Uba ngisithi: Ngizakhohlwa ukusola kwami, ngitshiye ukunyukumala kwami, ngithokoze,
If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
28 ngiyesaba zonke insizi zami, ngiyazi ukuthi kawuyikungiphatha njengongelacala.
I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
29 Ngilecala mina, pho, ngizatshikatshikelelani ize?
Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
30 Uba ngizigezisa ngamanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngihlambulule izandla zami ngesepa,
Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
31 khona uzangiphosela emgodini, besengisenyanywa yizigqoko zami.
you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!
32 Ngoba kasuye umuntu njengami ukuze ngimphendule, ukuze siye ndawonye kusahlulelo.
For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
33 Kakukho umqamuli phakathi kwethu ongabeka isandla sakhe phezu kwethu sobabili.
If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
34 Kasuse uswazi lwakhe kimi, njalo uvalo ngaye lungangethusi.
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
35 Bengingakhuluma ngingamesabi, kodwa anginjalo ngokwami.
Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
