Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.
Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kobuso bamanzi, ngoba uzasithola emva kwensuku ezinengi.
2 Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
Nika isabelo kwabayisikhombisa, yebo, lakwabayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawazi ukuthi bubi bani obuzakuba emhlabeni.
3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.
Uba amayezi egcwele izulu, ayalithululela emhlabeni; uba-ke isihlahla siwela ngeningizimu kumbe ngenyakatho, endaweni lapho isihlahla esiwela khona sizakuba khonapho.
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
Onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela, lalowo okhangela amayezi kayikuvuna.
5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.
Njengoba ungazi ukuthi iyini indlela yomoya, akhula njani amathambo esiswini sokhulelweyo, ngokunjalo kawazi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu owenza konke.
6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, lantambama ungaphumuzi isandla sakho; ngoba kawazi ukuthi yiyiphi ezaphumelela, le kumbe leyana, loba zombili zizakuba zinhle ngokufananayo.
7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.
Sibili, ukukhanya kumnandi; njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
8 Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
Kodwa uba umuntu ephila iminyaka eminengi, kathokoze ngayo yonke; kodwa kakhumbule lensuku zomnyama, ngoba zizakuba zinengi. Konke okuzayo kuyize.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Thokoza, jaha, ebutsheni bakho, lenhliziyo yakho kayikuthokozise ensukwini zobutsha bakho, uhambe endleleni zenhliziyo yakho lekuboneni kwamehlo akho. Kodwa yazi ukuthi ngenxa yazo zonke izinto uNkulunkulu uzakuletha kusahlulelo.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Ngakho susa ukudabuka enhliziyweni yakho, ukhuphe ububi enyameni yakho, ngoba ubutsha lobujaha buyize.
