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.
Ngathi mina enhliziyweni yami: Woza-ke, ngizakuzama ngentokozo, njalo kholisa okuhle. Khangela-ke, lalokhu kwakuyize.
2 I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
Ngokuhleka ngathi: Kuyibuhlanya! Langentokozo: Kwenzani?
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.
Ngadinga enhliziyweni yami ukuthokozisa inyama yami ngewayini (kodwa ngakhokhela inhliziyo yami ngenhlakanipho), lokubambelela ebuthutheni, ngize ngibone ukuthi kuyini lokho okulungele abantwana babantu, abangakwenza ngaphansi kwamazulu, ngenani lensuku zempilo zabo.
4 I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
Ngazenzela imisebenzi emikhulu; ngazakhela izindlu; ngazihlanyelela izivini;
5 I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
ngazenzela izivande lezivande zezihlahla; ngahlanyela kuzo izihlahla zezithelo zohlobo lonke;
6 I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
ngazenzela amachibi amanzi okuthelela ngawo ihlathi lokukhulisa izihlahla;
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 lezigqilikazi, ngaba labazalelwe endlini; njalo ngaba lemfuyo enengi yenkomo lezimvu okwedlula bonke ababekhona ngaphambi kwami eJerusalema;
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.
ngazibuthela futhi isiliva legolide lemfuyo ekhethekileyo yamakhosi leyamazwe; ngazizuzela abahlabeleli labahlabelelikazi, lentokozo zabantwana babantu, amantombazana emihlobo yonke.
9 So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
Ngakho ngaba mkhulu nganda okwedlula wonke owayekhona ngaphambi kwami eJerusalema, lenhlakanipho yami yema lami.
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.
Lakho konke amehlo ami akufisayo kangiwancitshanga khona, kangigodlanga inhliziyo yami lakuyiphi intokozo; ngoba inhliziyo yami yathokoza ekutshikatshikeni kwami konke; lalokhu kwaba yisabelo sami somtshikatshika wami wonke.
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.
Mina ngasengikhangela yonke imisebenzi izandla zami eziyenzileyo, lomtshikatshika engangitshikatshike ukuwenza; khangela-ke, konke kwakuyize lokukhathazeka komoya, njalo kwakungekho 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?
Mina ngasengibuyela ukubona inhlakanipho lobuhlanya lobuthutha. Ngoba angenzani umuntu olandela inkosi? Lokho okuvele sekwenziwe.
13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
Mina ngasengibona ukuthi inhlakanipho ingcono kulobuthutha 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.
Ohlakaniphileyo, amehlo akhe asekhanda lakhe, kodwa isithutha sihamba emnyameni; ngasengisazi lami ukuthi isehlakalo sinye sehlela bonke.
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.
Mina ngasengisithi enhliziyweni yami: Njengoba kusehlela isithutha kuzangehlela lami; pho, kungani-ke mina ngangihlakaniphe okwedlulisileyo? Ngasengikhuluma enhliziyweni yami ukuthi 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 kakukho ukukhunjulwa kohlakaniphileyo okwedlula koyisithutha phakade; ngoba lokhu okukhona khathesi ensukwini ezizayo konke kuzakhohlakala. Ohlakaniphileyo ufa njani? Njengesithutha.
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.
Ngasengizonda impilo, ngoba umsebenzi owenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga wawubuhlungu kimi; ngoba konke kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
Yebo, mina ngawuzonda wonke umtshikatshika wami engawutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga, ngoba ngizawutshiyela umuntu ozakuba khona 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.
Ngubani-ke owaziyo ukuthi uzakuba ngohlakaniphileyo kumbe oyisithutha? Kanti uzabusa phezu kwawo wonke umtshikatshika wami engawutshikatshikayo lengiwenze ngenhlakanipho ngaphansi kwelanga. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngadangalisa inhliziyo yami ngomtshikatshika wonke engangiwutshikatshika 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 kulomuntu omtshikatshika wakhe ukunhlakanipho lakulwazi lakubuqotho, kanti uzawunika umuntu ongatshikatshikanga kuwo ube yisabelo sakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize, lobubi obukhulu.
22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
Ngoba ulani umuntu ngomtshikatshika wakhe wonke langokukhathazeka kwenhliziyo yakhe akutshikatshike ngaphansi kwelanga?
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.
Ngoba insuku zakhe zonke zizinsizi, lomsebenzi wakhe uyikudabuka; lebusuku inhliziyo yakhe kayiphumuli. 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.
Kakukho okungcono emuntwini kulokuthi adle anathe abonise umphefumulo wakhe okuhle emtshikatshikeni wakhe. Lokhu lakho mina ngabona ukuthi kuvela esandleni sikaNkulunkulu.
25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
Ngoba ngubani ongadla kumbe ngubani ongakholisa kulami?
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.
Ngoba yena uyamnika umuntu olungileyo phambi kobuso bakhe inhlakanipho lolwazi lentokozo; kodwa isoni uyasinika umsebenzi wokubutha lokubuthelela ukunika olungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
