UJobe 31

1 “Ngasenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami ukuthi angakhangeli intombi ayihawukele.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?

2 Siyini isabelo somuntu asabelwe nguNkulunkulu ophezulu na, ilifa lakhe elivela kuSomandla phezulu?

For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3 Akusikubhujiswa kwababi lokutshabalaliswa kwalabo abenza okubi na?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4 Kanti kaziboni yini izindlela zami abale zonke izinyathelo zami?

Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?

5 Nxa ngike ngahamba ngokwamanga loba unyawo lwami lwakhuthalela inkohliso

If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit —

6 uNkulunkulu akangikale esikalini sakhe esiqotho ukuze abone ukuthi angilasici,

Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —

7 nxa izinyathelo zami zike zaphambuka endleleni, nxa inhliziyo yami ikhokhelwe ngamehlo ami, noma kumbe izandla zami zike zangcoliswa,

If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands;

8 lapho-ke abanye kabazidlele lokho engikuhlanyeleyo, njalo amabele ami kawasitshunwe.

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9 Nxa inhliziyo yami ike yakhangwa ngowesifazane, kumbe nxa ngike ngacathama ngasemnyango kamakhelwane,

If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;

10 lapho-ke owami umfazi kacholele enye indoda, njalo amanye amadoda kawalale laye.

Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 Ngoba lokho bekuzakuba lihlazo, isono esifanele ukwahlulelwa.

For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

12 Kungumlilo otshisayo onguMaqothula; ngabe kwasiphuna isivuno sami.

For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

13 Nxa ngingaphathanga kuhle izisebenzi zami, esesilisa lesesifazane nxa kukhona abakusolayo kimi,

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me —

14 ngizakuthini lapho uNkulunkulu esengibuza ngakho na? Ngizaphendula ngithini nxa sekumele ngichaze na?

What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him?

15 Yena lowo owangenzayo esibelethweni kabenzanga labo na? Kasuye yini yena kanye owasenzayo sonke phakathi kwezisu zabomama na?

Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb?

16 Nxa ngilahlele eceleni izifiso zabayanga loba ngayekela amehlo omfelokazi edinwa yizinyembezi,

If I have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 nxa ngizidlele ngedwa isinkwa sami, ngingasabelani lezintandane,

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —

18 kodwa ebutsheni bami ngabondla njengaboyise, njalo kusukela ekuzalweni kwami ngamkhokhela umfelokazi,

Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb.

19 nxa ngike ngabona umuntu esifa ngokuswela izigqoko, loba umuntu oswelayo engelasivunulo,

If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

20 njalo inhliziyo yakhe ayingibusisanga ngokumfudumeza ngoboya bezimvu zami,

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 nxa ngike ngaphakamisa isandla sami phezu kwentandane, kodwa mina ngikwazi ukuthi bayangilalela emthethwandaba,

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;

22 nxa kunjalo kayikhumuke ingalo yami kusukela ehlombe, kayephulwe endololwaneni.

Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

23 Ngoba ngesaba ukubhubhisa kukaNkulunkulu, kwathi ngokwesaba inkazimulo yakhe, ngayekela ukwenza izinto ezinjalo.

For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.

24 Nxa ngifake ithemba lami phezu kwegolide, loba ngathi kulo igolide elicolekileyo, ‘Ulithemba lami,’

If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence';

25 nxa bengithokoziswa yinotho yami enengi, lenzuzo evele ngezandla zami,

If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

26 nxa ngilikhangele ilanga libenyezela loba inyanga ihamba ngenkazimulo,

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

27 yaze yayengeka inhliziyo yami ngaphakathi nganga isandla sami ukuzikhonza,

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand;

28 lezi lazo yizono ebezifanele ukwahlulelwa, ngoba bengizabe ngingathembekanga kuNkulunkulu ophezulu.

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.

29 Nxa ngike ngathokoza ngomnyama owehlele isitha sami kumbe ngagqabhaza ngohlupho olumehleleyo,

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him —

30 kangivumelanga umlomo wami ukuba wenze isono ngokuqalekisa ukuphila kwakhe,

Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse.

31 nxa abantu bendlu yami bengakaze bathi, ‘Ngubani ongazange azitike ngenyama kaJobe na?’

If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?'

32 kodwa kakulasihambi esake salala emgwaqweni, ngoba umnyango wami wawuhlala uvulelwe izihambi

The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside.

33 nxa ngisithukuzile isono sami njengokwenziwa ngabantu, ngokufihla umlandu wami enhliziyweni yami

If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom —

34 ngoba ngisesaba abantu ngithuthunyeliswa yikweyiswa ngabosendo ngazithulela ngaze ngala lokuphumela phandle.

Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door.

35 (Oh, kube ukhona ongizwayo! Sengisayina incwadi yokuzivikela kwami, uSomandla kangiphendule; ongimangalelayo kabhale phansi icala angethesa lona.

Oh that I had one to hear me! — Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me — and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

36 Leyoncwadi ngingayithwala ehlombe lami, ngingayithwala ekhanda njengomqhele.

Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.

37 Bengingamchazela ngokugcweleyo ngazozonke izinyathelo zami; ngisondele kuye njengenkosana.)

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

38 Nxa ilizwe lakithi lingiphika lemifolo yalo imanzi ngezinyembezi,

If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;

39 nxa ngike ngadla izithelo zalo angaze ngabhadala loba ngephula imimoya yabanikazi,

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed —

40 nxa kunjalo kakumile ameva esikhundleni sengqoloyi, lokhula esikhundleni sebhali.” Aphela lapha amazwi kaJobe.

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.