UJobe 31
1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
2 Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?
For what portion of Eloah is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?
Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
4 Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?
Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,
If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.
Let me be weighed in an even balance, that Eloah may know mine integrity.
7 Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;
If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9 Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,
If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.
Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.
For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.
For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14 pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?
What then shall I do when El riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15 Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,
If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo
Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18 (ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),
(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb; )
19 uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
20 uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed 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, when I saw my help in the gate:
22 kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.
Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.
For destruction from El was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24 Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.
If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25 Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26 uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,
If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27 lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,
And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28 lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the El that is above.
29 Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;
Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
31 uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.
If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.
The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
33 Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
34 Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.
Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
35 Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!
Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
36 Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.
Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38 Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,
If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
39 uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40 kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
