Job 21
1 Job replied,
UJobe wasephendula wathi:
2 “Please listen carefully to what I say—that would be one comfort you could give me.
“Lalelani kuhle amazwi ami; lokhu akube yinduduzo elingipha yona.
3 Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
Ake lingibekezelele nxa ngisakhuluma, ngithi nxa sengikhulumile liklolode.
4 Am I complaining against people? Of course not. Why shouldn't I be impatient?
Ukusola kwami kuqonde umuntu yini? Ngingayekelelani ukucunuka pho?
5 Just take a look at me. Aren't you appalled? Cover your mouth with your hand in shock!
Ngikhangelani, lizamangala; vulani imilomo yenu ngezandla.
6 Every time I think of what's happened to me I am horrified and I shake all over with fear.
Nxa ngikhumbula ngalokhu ngitshaywa luvalo; ngizwa umzimba wami uqhaqhazela.
7 Why do the wicked continue to live, to grow old and increasingly powerful?
Kungani ababi bephila impilo ende, baluphale nje amandla abo esanda?
8 Their children are with them; they watch their grandchildren grow up.
Babona abantwababo bezinza benamile, inzalo yabo layo beyikhangele.
9 They live in their homes in safety—they are not afraid. God does not use his rod to beat them.
Imizi yabo ihlezi kayilakwesaba; induku kaNkulunkulu kayikho phezu kwabo.
10 Their bulls always breed successfully; their cows give birth to calves and do not miscarry.
Inkunzi zabo zikhuthele ziyazala; amankomokazi abo azala kuhle kawaphunzi.
11 They send out their little ones like lambs to play; their children dance around.
Abantwababo bayazihambela njengomhlambi; izingane zabo ziyazigidela zichelesile.
12 They sing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre; they celebrate with the music of the flute.
Bayahlabela betshaya izigubhu lamachacho; bayazithokozisa ngomsindo wemiqangala.
Yonke iminyaka yabo ngeyokuphumelela baze bayongena egodini belokuthula. (Sheol h7585)
14 Yet they tell God, ‘Get lost! We don't want anything to do with you.
Kodwa bathi kuNkulunkulu, ‘Tshiyana lathi! Kasifisi ukuzazi izindlela zakho.
15 Who does the Almighty think he is for us to serve him as slaves? What benefit is there for us if we pray to him?’
Ungubani yena uSomandla ofuna ukuthi simkhonze na? Sizazuzani nxa sikhuleka kuye na?’
16 Such people believe they make their own fortune, but I don't accept their way of thinking.
Kodwa ukuphumelela kwabo kakukho ezandleni zabo, ngakho kangisondeli ezelulekweni zababi.
17 How often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does disaster come upon them? How often does God punish the wicked in his anger?
Kodwa kukangaki na isibane sababi sicinywa? Kukangaki besehlelwa ngamabhadi na, abawabelwa nguNkulunkulu ezondile?
18 Are they blown along like straw in the wind? Does a tornado come in and carry them away?
Kukangaki besiba njengomule emoyeni na, njengamakhoba ephetshulwa yisivunguzane?
19 Some say, ‘God saves up people's punishment for their children.’ But I say, ‘God should punish those people themselves so that they can learn from it.’
Kuthiwa, ‘UNkulunkulu ulomba isijeziso somuntu asibekele amadodana akhe.’ Kajezise yena umuntu ngokwakhe ukuze akwazi!
20 Let them see their destruction themselves, and drink deeply from God's anger.
Amehlo akhe kawakubone ukuchithwa kwakhe; kalunathe ulaka lukaSomandla.
21 For they don't care what happens to their families once they're dead.
Ngoba uvele uzihlupha ngani ngemuli avele ezayitshiya nxa izinyanga zakhe azabelweyo seziphelile na?
22 Can anyone teach God anything he doesn't already know, since he is the one who judges even heavenly beings?
Kambe ukhona ongafundisa uNkulunkulu ulwazi, njengoba yena esahlulela labaphezulu na?
23 One person dies in good health, totally comfortable and secure.
Umuntu uyafa ephilile kuhle, kukuhle konke ekhululekile,
24 Their body is fat from eating well; their bones still strong.
umzimba wakhe uzimukile, amathambo akhe egcwele umnkantsho.
25 Another dies after a miserable life without every experiencing happiness.
Omunye ufa elobuhlungu emphefumulweni wakhe, evele engakaze akholise lutho oluhle.
26 Yet they are both buried in the same dust; they are treated alike in death, eaten by maggots.
Bobabili balaliswe ndawonye eceleni komunye othulini, impethu zinyakaze phezu kwabo bobabili.
27 Look, I know what you're thinking, and your schemes to do me wrong.
Ngiyazi kamhlophe ukuthi licabangani, amacebo elidinga ukungilimaza ngawo.
28 You may ask me, ‘Where is the home of the great man? Where is the place where the wicked live?’
Lithi, ‘Ingaphi-ke manje indlu yesikhulu, amathente okwakuhlala kuwo abantu ababi?’
29 Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?
Kalikaze libuze labo abahambayo na? Kalize lananzelela izinto abazilandisayo,
30 Wicked people are spared in times of disaster; they are rescued from the day of judgment.
ukuthi umuntu omubi uyaphepha ngosuku lokubhujiswa na, ukuthi uyakhululwa ngosuku lwesiphithiphithi?
31 Who confronts them with their actions? Who pays them back for what they have done?
Kambe ngubani omtshela ngobubi bakhe ebusweni bakhe na? Ngubani ophindiselayo ngalokho akwenzileyo na?
32 When they eventually die and are carried to the graveyard, their tomb is guarded. The earth of the grave softly covers them.
Uthwalelwa engcwabeni, lilindwe ingcwaba lakhe ngemfanelo.
33 Everyone attends their funeral service; a huge procession of people comes to pay their last respects.
Inhlabathi esigodini leso imnandi kuye; bonke abantu bayamlandela, banengi kakhulu njalo abahamba kuqala kulaye.
34 Why do you try to comfort me with worthless nonsense? Your answers are just a pack of lies!”
Pho-ke lingangiduduza njani likhuluma ize nje? Akusalanga lutho elilutshoyo ngaphandle kwenkohliso.”
