Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
Ngacabanga ngenhliziyo ngathi, “Kulungile, ake ngizame ukuzithokozisa ngibone ingabe kuhle yini.” Kodwa lokho lakho kwakhanya kuyize.
2 I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
Ngathi, “Ukuhleka kuyibuthutha. Ukuzithokozisa khona kusizani?”
3 I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
Ngazama ukuzithabisa ngewayini, ngisenza ubuwula kodwa ingqondo yami ilokhu ingikhokhela ngokuhlakanipha. Ngangifuna ukubona ukuthi kuyini okumlungeleyo umuntu ukuthi akwenze lapha ngaphansi kwezulu ngezinsukwana lezo zokuphila kwakhe.
4 I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
Ngaqalisa imisebenzi emikhulu: ngazakhela izindlu ngahlanyela amavini.
5 I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
Ngasungula izivande lezigcawu zokubukwa ngahlanyela kuzo yonke imihlobo yezihlahla lezithelo.
6 I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
Ngenza iziziba zamanzi okuthelela izihlahla ezazikhula kuhle.
7 I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
Ngathenga izigqili zesilisa lezesifazane, ngilezinye futhi izigqili ezazalelwa emzini wami. Ngaba lemihlambihlambi yenkomo lezimvu okwedlula bonke abake babakhona eJerusalema ngaphambi kwami.
8 and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
Ngabuthelela isiliva legolide, kanye lempahla yamakhosi eligugu ivela ezigodini. Ngazidingela abahlabeleli besilisa labesifazane, lesithembo esikhulu, khona okujabulisa inhliziyo yendoda.
9 So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
Ngaba mkhulu ngokwedluleyo kulaloba ngubani owaba seJerusalema ngaphambi kwami. Phakathi kwayo yonke inyakanyaka le ukuhlakanipha kwami kwahlala kukhona.
10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Angizincitshanga lutho olwalufiswa ngamehlo ami; inhliziyo yami angiyalelanga layiphi intokozo. Inhliziyo yami yathokoza ngawo wonke umsebenzi wami, lokhu kwaba ngumvuzo wezithukuthuku zami.
11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Kanti lanxa ngahlolisisa konke okwenziwa yizandla zami lalokho engangibhensela ukukuzuza, konke kwakuyize, yikuxotshana lomoya; kwakungela nzuzo ngaphansi kwelanga.
12 Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
Ngasengigxilisa imicabango yami ekuhlolisiseni ukuhlakanipha, njalo lobuhlanya kanye lobuwula. Kambe angenzani othatha isikhundla senkosi ngaphandle kwalokho obekuvele sekwenziwe?
13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
Ngabona ukuhlakanipha kungcono kulobuwula, njengokukhanya kungcono kulomnyama.
14 The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ulamehlo ekhanda, ikanti isiwula sihamba ebumnyameni; kodwa ngacina sengibona ukuthi isiphetho sabo bonke sinye.
15 So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
Ngasengicabanga enhliziyweni yami ngathi, “Isiphetho sesiwula sizangehlela lami. Pho, ngizuzani ngokuhlakanipha?” Ngathi ngenhliziyo yami, “Lokhu lakho kuyize.”
16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
Ngoba umuntu ohlakaniphileyo, njengesiwula, akazukukhunjulwa kokuphela; ngezinsuku ezizayo bobabili bazakhohlakala. Njengesiwula, umuntu ohlakaniphileyo laye uzakufa!
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Yikho-ke ngasengikuzonda ukuphila, ngoba umsebenzi owenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga wawubuhlungu kimi. Wonke uyize, yikuxotshana lomoya.
18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
Ngazizonda zonke izinto engangiziginqele ngaphansi kwelanga, ngoba ngimele ngitshiyele lowo oza ngemva kwami.
19 And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
Njalo ngubani owaziyo ingabe uzakuba ngumuntu ohlakaniphileyo loba isiwula? Kodwa nguye ozalawula wonke umsebenzi wamaginqo ami lobungcitshi bami. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
Ngalokho inhliziyo yami yaqalisa ukuphela amandla ngikhumbula konke lokho engakuginqelayo ngaphansi kwelanga.
21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
Ngoba umuntu angenza umsebenzi wakhe ngokuhlakanipha, ngolwazi langamasu, kodwa utshiyela konke alakho komunye ongazange akusebenzele. Lokhu lakho kuyize, kungumnyama.
22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
Umuntu uzuzani ngakho konke ukusebenza nzima langokutshikatshika kabuhlungu lapha emhlabeni?
23 Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
Ubuhlungu umsebenzi wakhe awenzayo kuzozonke insuku zokuphila kwakhe; kwala kanye lebusuku umkhumbulo wakhe kawuphumuli. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
24 Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Akukho okungcono emuntwini ngaphandle kokuthi adle, anathe njalo azuze ukusuthiseka ngomsebenzi wakhe. Lokhu lakho ngiyakubona ukuthi kuvela kuNkulunkulu,
25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
ngoba ngaphandle kwakhe ngubani ongadla kumbe azuze intokozo?
26 To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Kulowo omthokozisayo uNkulunkulu umupha ukuhlakanipha, ulwazi lokuthaba, kodwa koyisoni umupha umsebenzi wokuqoqa lokulonda inotho ukuze ayiphe lowo othokozisa uNkulunkulu. Lokhu lakho kuyize, yikuxotshana lomoya.
