UJobe 31
1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?
“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
2 Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?
For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?
Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
4 Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,
If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.
let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
7 Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;
If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.
then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9 Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,
If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.
then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.
For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
12 Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.
For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
13 Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
14 pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?
what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
15 Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?
Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,
If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo
if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
18 (ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),
though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
19 uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,
if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
20 uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,
if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
21 uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
22 kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.
then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
23 Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.
For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
24 Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.
If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
25 Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;
if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
26 uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,
if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,
so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.
this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
29 Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;
If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
30 njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;
I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
31 uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.
if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.
but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
33 Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.
if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
34 Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.
because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—
35 Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!
(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
36 Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.
I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
38 Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,
if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
39 uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,
if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.
then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
