Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?
2 For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?
3 [Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?
Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;
8 [Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,
10 [Then] let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.
11 For this [is] an heinous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.
Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.
12 For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?
16 If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb; )
(ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he were [not] warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,
22 [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.
23 For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;
Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;
uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,
28 This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.
lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveller.
Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, [and] went not out of the door?
Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire [is, that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] mine adversary had written a book.
Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.
Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.
