Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
Khumbula uMdali wakho ngezinsuku zobutsha bakho, kungakafiki insuku zokuhlupheka njalo kusondele leminyaka lapho ozakuthi, “Angizuzi kuthokoza kuyo”
2 Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
andubana ilanga lokukhanya kanye lenyanga lezinkanyezi kufiphale, lamayezi achitheke ngemva kwezulu;
3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,
lapho abalindi bendlu bezathuthumela, amadoda aqinileyo akhokhobe, labacholi batshiye umsebenzi ngoba sebebalutshwana, kuthi labalunguzayo ngamawindi sebebona lufifi;
4 and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
lapho iminyango ephumela emigwaqweni isivaliwe lomsindo wokuchola usufiphala; lapho abantu besethuswa yikukhala kwenyoni, lezingoma zazo zincipha;
5 yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;
lapho abantu sebesesaba izindawo eziphakemeyo lezingozi emigwaqweni; lapho isihlahla se-alimondi sesiqhakaza lentethe isihamba ngokuzihudula nje njalo kungasekho ukulangazelela. Lapho-ke umuntu usesiya ekhaya lakhe laphakade njalo abalilayo bagcwale emigwaqweni.
6 before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
Mkhumbule intambo yesiliva ingakaqamuki, kumbe umganu wegolide ungakabhidlizwa; lodiwo lungakahlikizwa emthonjeni, loba ivili lephulwe emgodini wamanzi,
7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
kuthi umhlabathi ubuyele emhlabathini lapho owavela khona, lomphefumulo ubuyele kuNkulunkulu onguye owawuphayo.
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”
“Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli, “Konke kuyize!”
9 Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
UMtshumayeli wayehlakaniphile, njalo esabela abantu ulwazi. Wazidla ingqondo wadingisisa wamisa kuhle izaga ezinengi.
10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
UMtshumayeli wadingisisa ukuze azuze amazwi ayiwonawona, kwathi-ke konke akulobayo kwaqonda njalo kuliqiniso.
11 The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Amazwi abahlakaniphileyo anjengenswazi zokwethusa izimvu, izitsho zabo eziqoqiweyo zinjengezipikili ezibethelwe zatshona, zivela kuMalusi munye.
12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Limuka, ndodana yami, loba kuyini okudlula lapho. Ukulotshwa kwezincwadi ezinengi akulamkhawulo, njalo ukufunda kakhulu kuhlukuluza umzimba.
13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
Manje-ke konke sekuzwakele; nansi isiphetho sendaba: Mesabe uNkulunkulu ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngoba lo yiwo wonke umlandu womuntu.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Ngoba uNkulunkulu uzazahlulela zonke izenzo, lalokho okufihliweyo loba kuhle loba kubi.
