Ecclesiastes 4
1 And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona incindezelo zonke ezenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke inyembezi zabacindezelweyo, njalo babengelamduduzi; lehlangothini lwababacindezelayo kwakulamandla, kodwa babengelamduduzi.
2 So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.
Ngakho ngancoma abafileyo, abavele sebefile, okwedlula abaphilayo, abalokhu besaphila.
3 Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.
Yebo ungcono kulabo bobabili, ongakabi khona, ongabonanga umsebenzi omubi owenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga.
4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
Ngasengibona mina wonke umtshikatshika lempumelelo yonke yomsebenzi, ngoba lokhu kungumhawu womuntu ovela kumakhelwane wakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
5 The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.
Isiphukuphuku sigoqa izandla zaso sidle inyama yaso.
6 One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
Singcono isandla esigcwele ukuthula kulezandla ezimbili ezigcwele ukutshikatshika lokukhathazeka komoya.
7 Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona ize ngaphansi kwelanga.
8 It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.
Kukhona oyedwa, njalo kakho owesibili, yebo kalamntwana kumbe umfowabo, njalo kakulakuphela komtshikatshika wakhe wonke, lelihlo lakhe kalisuthiswa yinotho, njalo katsho ukuthi: Ngitshikatshikela bani, ngenze umphefumulo wami uswele okuhle? Lokhu lakho kuyize, yebo, kungumsebenzi omubi.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
Ababili bangcono kuloyedwa, ngoba balomvuzo omuhle ngokutshikatshika kwabo.
10 And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.
Ngoba uba besiwa omunye uzamvusa umngane wakhe; kodwa maye kuye oyedwa nxa esiwa, ngoba kungekho owesibili ongamvusa.
11 So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?
Futhi uba ababili belala ndawonye, ngakho balokukhudumala; kodwa ngoyedwa angakhudumala njani?
12 And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.
Njalo uba omunye engehlula oyedwa, ababili bazamelana laye; lentambo elemicu emithathu kayiqanyulwa masinyane.
13 A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.
Umfana ongumyanga ohlakaniphileyo ungcono kulenkosi endala eyisithutha engasakwazi ukwelulekwa.
14 Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.
Ngoba uyaphuma entolongweni ukuthi abe yinkosi, lanxa futhi owayezelwe embusweni wakhe esiba ngumyanga.
15 I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.
Ngabona bonke abaphilayo abahamba ngaphansi kwelanga, lomfana wesibili ozakuma esikhundleni sakhe.
16 There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
Kakulasiphetho sabantu bonke, sabo bonke ababephambi kwabo, lalabo abeza emva kabayikuthokoza ngaye. Isibili lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
