Job 38
1 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
UThixo wasekhuluma loJobe ephakathi kwesiphepho. Wathi:
2 “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
“Ngubani na lowo odunga amacebo ami ngamazwi okungazi?
3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
Qina njengendoda; ngizakubuza, lawe uzangiphendula.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Wawungaphi lapho ngibeka izisekelo zomhlaba na? Ngitshela nxa uqedisisa.
5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Ngubani owamisa izilinganiso zawo na? Phela angithi uyazi! Ngubani owayidonsayo intambo yokulinganisa kuwo na?
6 What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Izinsika zawo zamiswa phezu kwani na, loba ngubani owamisa ilitshe lawo lekhoneni na
7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
lapho izinkanyezi zokusa zazihlabelela kanyekanye lezingilosi zonke zamemeza ngentokozo?
8 “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,
Ngubani owavalela ulwandle ngemva kwezivalo lapho selufohla esiswini na,
9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
lapho ngisenza amayezi aba yisembatho salo na ngalugoqela ngomnyama omkhulu,
10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
lapho ngalubekela imikhawulo ngamisa iminyango yalo lemigoqo endaweni yayo,
11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
lapho engathi, ‘Ungeza uze ufike lapha kodwa ungedluli; kulapha amagagasi akho azigqajayo aphelela khona?’
12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,
Sewake wabekela ikuseni umthetho na, loba watshengisa ukusa indawo yakho
13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
ukuba kuphakamise umhlaba ngemiphetho kuthintithe ababi abakuwo?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
Umhlaba ubumbeka isimo njengebumba ufakwe uphawu; imibala yawo ikhanye ithi bha njengelembu.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
Ababi bayacitshelwa ukukhanya, lengalo yabo ephakanyisiweyo iyephulwa.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
Sewake wahamba emithonjeni yolwandle na loba wahamba ezingoxweni zenziki yalo na?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Amasango okufa aseke abonakaliswa kuwe na? Usuke wawabona amasango ethunzi lokufa na?
18 Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
Ubuqedisisile na ubukhulu bobubanzi bomhlaba? Ngitshela nxa ukwazi konke lokhu.
19 “What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
Yiphi indlela eya ekhaya elihlala ukukhanya na? Ubumnyama bona buhlala ngaphi?
20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
Ungakusa ezindaweni zakho na? Uyazazi izindlela eziya emizini yazo na?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
Ye uyakwazi, ngoba wawuvele usuzelwe! Usuphile iminyaka yonke le!
22 Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
Sewake wangena eziphaleni zikangqwaqwane loba wabona iziphala zesiqhotho na,
23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
engizilindisele izikhathi zohlupho, insuku zempi lokuhlasela na?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
Ingaphi indlela eya esigodlweni sokwaba umbane, loba indawo yokuhlakaza umoya wempumalanga phezu komhlaba na?
25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
Ngubani ogubhe intshukuntshu yezihlambo zezulu, lendlela yomdumo wesiphepho;
26 to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
ukuthelezela ilizwe elingahlali muntu, inkangala okungelamuntu kuyo,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
ukusuthisa ilizwe elilugwadule kulenze lihlume utshani na?
28 Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
Izulu elinayo liloyise na? Ngubani onguyise wamathonsi amazolo na?
29 Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?
Ngesikabani isisu esizala iliqhwa na? Ngubani ozala umtshazo ovela phezulu na
30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
lapho amanzi abalukhuni njengelitshe, lapho iphezulu yolwandle ijiyile?
31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Ungasibopha na isiLimela lesi esihle? Ungazithukulula yini izintambo zeziNja?
32 Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
Ungawuletha na uMthala ngesikhathi sawo loba ukhuphe inkanyezi ethiwa yiNgulube lemidlwane yayo?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
Uyayazi imithetho yasezulwini na? Ungawakha yini umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Ungawamemeza yini amayezi uthi akunethise ngesihlambo samanzi?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Uyakuthuma yini ukuphazima kombane? Uyabika kuwe yini uthi, ‘Ngilapha’?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Ngubani owapha inhliziyo ukuhlakanipha kumbe owapha ingqondo ukuzwisisa na?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
Ngubani ololwazi lokubala amayezi na? Ngubani ongagenqula amaqhaga asezulwini na
38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
nxa uthuli seluqina lamagade omhlabathi esebumbene?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Uyasizingelela na isilwanekazi ukudla kwaso, uyiqede indlala yezilwane
40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
lapho zilele ezikhundleni zazo kumbe zicwathile ezixukwini?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
Ngubani opha iwabayi ukudla lapho amatsiyane alo ekhala kuNkulunkulu ezulazula ehayila ngendlala na?”
