Ecclesiastes 12
1 And remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [you] in which you shall say, I have no pleasure in them.
Khumbula-ke uMdali wakho ensukwini zobutsha bakho zingakafiki insuku ezimbi, kumbe kusondele iminyaka, lapho ozakuthi: Kangilantokozo ngayo.
2 While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain:
Kungakafiphali ilanga lokukhanya lenyanga lezinkanyezi, kumbe amayezi abuyele emva kwezulu.
3 in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;
Ngosuku lapho abagcini bendlu bezathuthumela, lamadoda alamandla akhokhobe, labacholayo beme ngoba bebalutshwana, lalabo abalunguza ngamawindi bafiphazeke,
4 and they shall shut the doors in the marketplace, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;
lezivalo zivalwe esitaladini, lapho umsindo wokuchola usuncipha, lapho ezavuka ekukhaleni kwenyoni, lamadodakazi wonke engoma ezathotshiswa,
5 and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:
lalapho bezakwesaba okuphakemeyo lezesabiso endleleni, lapho isihlahla se-alimondi sesilempoko, lentothoviyane izakuba ngumthwalo kuyo, lesiloyiso sizaphela. Ngoba umuntu uya ekhaya lakhe elilaphakade, labalilayo bazazulazula esitaladeni.
6 before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;
Kungakathukululwa intambo yesiliva, lomganu wegolide uphahlazwe, lembiza iphahlazeke emthonjeni, lendirayo yephuke emgodini wamanzi,
7 [before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
lothuli lubuyele emhlabathini njengoba lwalunjalo, lomoya ubuyela kuNkulunkulu owawunikayo.
8 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.
Ize leze, kutsho umTshumayeli, konke kuyize.
9 And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.
Phezu kwalokho-ke, ngoba umTshumayeli wayehlakaniphile, wayelokhu efundisa abantu ulwazi, yebo wazindla, wadingisisa, wamisa kuhle izaga ezinengi.
10 The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.
UmTshumayeli wadinga ukuthola amazwi akholisisayo, lokwabhalwayo kwakuqondile, amazwi eqiniso.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.
Amazwi abahlakaniphileyo anjengezincijo, lanjengezipikili ezibethelwe zatshona, amakhosi emihlangano, enikwa ngumelusi munye.
12 And moreover, my son, guard yourself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Phezu kwalokho-ke, ndodana yami, xwayiseka: Ekwenzeni ingwalo ezinengi kakulasiphelo, lokufunda okunengi kuyikudinisa inyama.
13 Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.
Isiphetho sodaba konke sekuzwakele yilesi: Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imilayo yakhe; ngoba lokho yimfanelo yonke yomuntu.
14 For God will bring every work into judgement, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
Ngoba uNkulunkulu uzaletha wonke umsebenzi kusahlulelo, layo yonke into efihliweyo, loba kuhle laloba kubi.
