Job 28
1 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
Isibili kukhona umthapho wesiliva, lendawo yegolide abalicengayo.
2 Iron from the dust is taken, And [from] the firm stone brass.
Insimbi ithathwa enhlabathini, lethusi lincibilikiswa elitsheni.
3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
Umisela umnyama umngcele, udingisisa kuze kube sekupheleleni konke, amatshe obumnyama lethunzi lokufa.
4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
Uqhekeza umgodi khatshana lalapho okuhlala khona abantu, lapho abakhohlwe khona lunyawo; bayalenga bejikajika khatshana labantu.
5 The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
Umhlaba, kuphuma ukudla kuwo, langaphansi kwawo kuphenduka kwangathi ngumlilo.
6 A place of the sapphire [are] its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
Amatshe awo ayindawo yesafire, njalo ulothuli lwegolide.
7 A path — not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
Inyoni edla inyama kayiyazi indlela, lelihlo lelinqe kaliyibonanga.
8 Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
Imidlwane yokuziqhenyayo kayiyinyathelanga, isilwane kasihambanga kuyo.
9 Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
Uyelula isandla sakhe elitsheni elilukhuni, uyagenqula izintaba ezimpandeni.
10 Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
Aqhekeze imisele emadwaleni, lelihlo lakhe libona konke okuligugu.
11 From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out [to] light.
Uyabopha izifula zingathonti, lokufihlakeleyo ukukhuphela ekukhanyeni.
12 And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
Kodwa inhlakanipho ingatholakala ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
13 Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
Umuntu kalazi ixabiso lakho, njalo kakutholakali elizweni labaphilayo.
14 The deep hath said, 'It [is] not in me,' And the sea hath said, 'It is not with me.'
Ukujula kuthi: Kakukho kimi. Lolwandle luthi: Kakulami.
15 Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed — its price.
Igolide elihle lingenikwe endaweni yakho, lesiliva singelinganiselwe intengo yakho.
16 It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
Kungelingane legolide leOfiri, le-onikse eligugu, lesafire.
17 Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor [is] its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
Igolide lekristali kungelingane lakho, futhi kungenaniswe ngesitsha segolide elicwengekileyo.
18 Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom [is] above rubies.
Ikorali lekristali kakuyikukhunjulwa, ngoba intengo yenhlakanipho ingaphezu kwamatshe aligugu.
19 Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
Itopazi leEthiyophiya lingelinganiswe lakho, kungelingane legolide elicwengekileyo.
20 And the wisdom — whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
Pho, inhlakanipho ivela ngaphi? Lendawo yokuqedisisa ingaphi?
21 It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
Ngoba kusithekile emehlweni abo bonke abaphilayo, kwafihlwa ezinyonini zamazulu.
22 Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.'
Ukubhujiswa lokufa kuthi: Sizwile ngendlebe zethu umbiko wakho.
23 God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
UNkulunkulu uyayiqedisisa indlela yakho, njalo yena uyayazi indawo yakho.
24 For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
Ngoba yena uyakhangela kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba, abone ngaphansi kwawo wonke amazulu.
25 To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
Esenzela umoya isisindo, walinganisa amanzi ngesilinganiso.
26 In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
Lapho esenzela izulu isimiso, lombane wokuduma indlela.
27 Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
Ngalesosikhathi wakubona, walandisa ngakho; wakulungisa, yebo, wakuhlolisisa.
28 And He saith to man: — 'Lo, fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to turn from evil [is] understanding.'
Wasesithi emuntwini: Khangela, ukwesaba iNkosi, lokhu kuyinhlakanipho, lokusuka ebubini kuyikuqedisisa.
