Job 29
1 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —
UJobe wasebuya ephakamisa isaga sakhe wathi:
2 Who doth make me as [in] months past, As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
Kungathi ngabe nginjengenyangeni zamandulo, njengensukwini uNkulunkulu angigcine ngazo,
3 In His causing His lamp to shine on my head, By His light I walk [through] darkness.
lapho isibane sakhe sakhanya phezu kwekhanda lami; ngahamba emnyameni ngokukhanya kwakhe!
4 As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.
Njengoba nganginjalo ensukwini zokuvuthwa kwami, lapho iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu sasiphezu kwethente lami,
5 When yet the Mighty One [is] with me. Round about me — my young ones,
lapho uSomandla wayeseselami, labantwana bami bengiphahlile,
6 When washing my goings with butter, And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.
lapho ngagezisa izinyathelo zami ngolaza, ledwala langithululela imifula yamafutha!
7 When I go out to the gate by the city, In a broad place I prepare my seat.
Lapho ngaphuma ngaya esangweni ngidabula umuzi, ngalungisa isihlalo sami emdangeni;
8 Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen — they stood up.
amajaha angibona, acatsha; lamaxhegu asukuma ema;
9 Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.
iziphathamandla zayekela ukukhuluma, zabeka isandla phezu komlomo wazo;
10 The voice of leaders hath been hidden, And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
ilizwi labakhulu lacatsha, lolimi lwabo lwanamathela elwangeni lwabo.
11 For the ear heard, and declareth me happy, And the eye hath seen, and testifieth [to] me.
Lapho indlebe isizwa yangibusisa, lelihlo libona langifakazela,
12 For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
ngoba ngakhulula umyanga okhalayo, lentandane, longelamsizi.
13 The blessing of the perishing cometh on me, And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
Isibusiso sobhubhayo sehlele phezu kwami, njalo ngenza inhliziyo yomfelokazi ihlabele ngentokozo.
14 Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.
Ngembatha ukulunga, kwangembesa; isahlulelo sami saba njengesembatho lomqhele.
15 Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame [am] I.
Ngangingamehlo koyisiphofu, ngangizinyawo kusiqhuli.
16 A father I [am] to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
Nganginguyise wabayanga, lendaba engingayaziyo ngayihlolisisa.
17 And I break the jaw-teeth of the perverse, And from his teeth I cast away prey.
Ngasengisephula umhlathi womubi, ngamenza alahle impango emazinyweni akhe.
18 And I say, 'With my nest I expire, And as the sand I multiply days.'
Ngasengisithi: Ngizaphela lesidleke sami, ngandise insuku njengetshebetshebe.
19 My root is open unto the waters, And dew doth lodge on my branch.
Impande zami zinabele emanzini, lamazolo alale ubusuku ogatsheni lwami.
20 My honour [is] fresh with me, And my bow in my hand is renewed.
Udumo lwami lutsha kimi, ledandili lami laguquka esandleni sami.
21 To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.
Bangilalela, belindele, bathulela iseluleko sami.
22 After my word they change not, And on them doth my speech drop,
Emva kwelizwi lami kabaphendulanga, lelizwi lami lathontela phezu kwabo.
23 And they wait as [for] rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
Bangilindela njengezulu, lomlomo wabo bawukhamisela izulu lokucina.
24 I laugh unto them — they give no credence, And the light of my face cause not to fall.
Lapho ngibahlekela, kabakholwanga, lokukhanya kobuso bami kabakuwiselanga phansi.
25 I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.
Ngakhetha indlela yabo ngahlala ngiyinhloko, ngahlala njengenkosi phakathi kweviyo, njengoduduza abalilayo.
