Emveni kwalokho uJobe wakhuluma; waqalekisa usuku lwakhe.
UJobe wathi:
“Malubhubhe usuku engazalwa ngalo,
nobusuku okwathiwa:
‘Ukhulelwe ingane yomfana.’
Lolo lusuku malube ngubumnyama,
uNkulunkulu ephezulu makangalunaki,
ukukhanya makungakhanyi kulo.
Ubumnyama nethunzi lokufa makunikwe lona,
kuhlale ifu phezu kwalo,
ubumnyama bosuku bulethuse.
Lobo busuku mabubanjwe yisigayegaye sobumnyama,
bungathokozi phakathi kwezinsuku zonyaka,
lungabalwa phakathi kwezinsuku zenyanga.
Yebo, lobo busuku
mabube yinyumba,
kungezwakali msindo wenjabulo kubo.
Mabaluqalekise labo abaqalekisa usuku,
labo abalungele ukuvusa uLeviyathani.
Izinkanyezi zokuhwelela kobusuku
maziphenduke ubumnyama,
mabulindele ukukhanya
kodwa kungabi bikho,
mabungakuboni ukuntwela kokusa,
ngokuba abuzivalanga izivalo zesizalo sikamame,
abuyifihlanga inkathazo emehlweni ami.
“Kungani ngingafelanga esiswini na?
Angibhubhanga ngani lapho ngiphuma esizalweni na?
Amadolo angemukelelani,
namabele ukuba ngincele na?
Ngokuba manje
ngabe ngilele, ngithule,
ngabe ngilele ubuthongo, ngiphumule
kanye namakhosi nabeluleki bomhlaba,
labo abazakhela kabusha
izindawo ezazicekelwe phansi,
noma kanye nezikhulu ezinegolide,
ezazigcwalise izindlu zazo ngesiliva;
noma kungani ngingagcwatshwanga njengokuphuphumileyo
nanjengombungu ongalibonanga ilanga?
Lapho izikhohlakali zingasakwazi ukuhlupha,
nalapho abakhathele besekuphumuleni.
Lapho iziboshwa zicanasa khona ndawonye,
nezwi labacindezelayo zingasalizwa.
Lapho abancane nabakhulu befana;
isigqila sikhululekile kumniniso.
“Kungani ukukhanya kunikwa ososizini,
nokuphila, kwabanomunyu emphefumulweni,
abalangazelela ukufa,
kodwa kungafiki,
abakufuna ukwedlula
ingcebo ethukusiweyo,
abathokoza, bethabe,
bajabule uma bethola ingcwaba?
Kungani ukukhanya kunikwa umuntu
ongayiboni indlela yakhe,
lowo uNkulunkulu ambiyele nxazonke na?
Ukugquma kimi sekufana nokudla,
nokububula kwami
kuphophoza njengamanzi.
Ngehlelwa yilokho engikwesabayo,
nalokho enginovalo ngakho kuyangehlela.
Anginakuthula, anginaluxolo, anginakuphumula;
inkathazo ingehlele.”