UJobe 9
1 UJobe wasephendula wathi:
Then answered Job, and said,
2 Ngeqiniso ngiyazi ukuthi kunjalo. Kodwa umuntu angalunga njani kuNkulunkulu?
Truly I know that it is so: and how could a mortal be righteous before God?
3 Uba efisa ukuphikisana laye, kayikumphendula okukodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane.
If he were desirous to enter into a contest with him, he could not give him one answer out of a thousand.
4 Uhlakaniphile enhliziyweni, uqinile emandleni: Ngubani oziqinisileyo wamelana laye waphumelela?
He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?
5 Osusa izintaba njalo zingazi, ozigenqula entukuthelweni yakhe.
[He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Onyikinya umhlaba awususe endaweni yawo, lensika zawo zizamazame.
Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;
7 Olaya ilanga ukuthi lingaphumi, avalele inkanyezi ngophawu.
Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;
8 Owendlala amazulu eyedwa, anyathele phezu kwezingqonga zolwandle.
Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;
9 Owenza iBhere, iziNja, lesiLimela, lamakamelo eningizimu.
Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;
10 Owenza izinto ezinkulu ezingelakuhlolwa, lezimangalisayo ezingelakubalwa.
Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.
11 Khangela, uyedlula phansi kwami ngingamboni, edlulele phambili ngingamuzwa.
Lo, were he to go past by me, I should not see him; and were he to pass along, I should not perceive him.
12 Khangela, uyahluthuna, ngubani ongamnqanda? Ngubani ongathi kuye: Wenzani?
Behold, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?
13 UNkulunkulu kayinqandi intukuthelo yakhe. Abasizi bakaRahabi bayakhothama phansi kwakhe.
God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.
14 Pho-ke, mina ngingamphendula ngithini, ngikhethe amazwi ami okuqondana laye?
How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?
15 Ebengingeke ngamphendula loba bengilungile; ngizacela isihawu kumahluleli wami.
Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.
16 Uba bengibizile, wangiphendula, bengingayikukholwa ukuthi ubekile indlebe elizwini lami.
Or were I to call, and he would answer me, I could yet not believe that he would give ear unto my voice—
17 Ngoba uyangihlifiza ngesiphepho, andise amanxeba ami kungelasizatho.
He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.
18 Kangivumeli ukukhokha umoya, kodwa engigcwalisa ngezinto ezibabayo.
He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.
19 Uba kungamandla, khangela, ulamandla. Njalo uba kungesahlulelo, ngubani ozangibiza?
If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?
20 Aluba ngilungile, umlomo wami uzangilahla; uba ngiphelele, uzakuthi ngonakele.
If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still prove me perverse.
21 Ngiphelele, angikhathaleli umphefumulo wami, ngidelela impilo yami.
I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.
22 Kunye lokho, ngenxa yalokho ngithi: Uyabhubhisa olungileyo lomubi.
One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.
23 Lapho isiswepu sibulala ngokujumayo, uzahleka ukudangala kwabangelacala.
If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.
24 Umhlaba unikelwe esandleni somubi; wembesa ubuso babehluleli bawo. Uba kungenjalo, pho, ngubani?
Is a land given up into the hand of the wicked? he covereth the faces of its judges: if this be not the truth, who is it then?
25 Njalo insuku zami zilejubane kulesigijimi; ziyabaleka, kaziboni okuhle.
And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,
26 Ziyedlula njengezikepe zomhlanga, njengokhozi olutheleka empangweni.
They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.
27 Uba ngisithi: Ngizakhohlwa ukusola kwami, ngitshiye ukunyukumala kwami, ngithokoze,
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:
28 ngiyesaba zonke insizi zami, ngiyazi ukuthi kawuyikungiphatha njengongelacala.
O then would I be in dread of all my pains; I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.
29 Ngilecala mina, pho, ngizatshikatshikelelani ize?
I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?
30 Uba ngizigezisa ngamanzi eliqhwa elikhithikileyo, ngihlambulule izandla zami ngesepa,
If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:
31 khona uzangiphosela emgodini, besengisenyanywa yizigqoko zami.
Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.
32 Ngoba kasuye umuntu njengami ukuze ngimphendule, ukuze siye ndawonye kusahlulelo.
For he is not a man, like me, that I could answer him, that we should enter together into a contest.
33 Kakukho umqamuli phakathi kwethu ongabeka isandla sakhe phezu kwethu sobabili.
There is no one who can decide between us, who could lay his hand upon us both.
34 Kasuse uswazi lwakhe kimi, njalo uvalo ngaye lungangethusi.
Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
35 Bengingakhuluma ngingamesabi, kodwa anginjalo ngokwami.
Then would I speak, and not fear him; for the like I feel not within me.
