Job 31
1 I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?
Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?
2 For what [is] the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?
3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
5 If I have walked with vanity, and 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 spot 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 the produce of my field be rooted out.
kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.
9 If mine heart have been enticed unto a woman, and 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 that were an heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:
Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto 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 alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo
18 (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide 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 that the needy had no 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, because I saw my help in the gate:
uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,
22 Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I could do nothing.
Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.
24 If I have made gold my hope, and 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, and 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 judges: for I should have lied to 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 (Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;
31 If the men of my tent said not, Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his flesh?
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 like Adam I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom;
Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.
34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so 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 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!
Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!
36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.
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 out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;
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.
