UJobe 31
1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?
I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
2 Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?
Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?
Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
4 Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,
But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.
(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
7 Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;
if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;
8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.
then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
9 Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,
If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.
then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.
For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
12 Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.
For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
13 Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,
And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
14 pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?
what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
15 Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?
Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.
16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,
But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo
And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
18 (ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),
(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
19 uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,
And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
20 uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,
and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
21 uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,
if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
22 kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.
let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
23 Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.
For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
24 Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.
If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
25 Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;
and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
26 uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,
(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )
27 lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,
and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
28 lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.
let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
29 Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;
And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
30 njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;
let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
31 uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.
And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.
for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
33 Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.
or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
34 Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.
(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
35 Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!
(Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
36 Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.
I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.
And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
38 Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,
If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
39 uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,
and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:
40 kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.
then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
