Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast your bread over running waters. For, after a long time, you shall find it again.
Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kwamanzi, ngoba ngemva kwensuku ezinengi uzasifumana futhi.
2 Give a portion to seven, and indeed even to eight. For you do not know what evil may be upon the earth in the future.
Yabela abayisikhombisa, yebo abayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawuwazi umonakalo ongehlela elizweni.
3 If the clouds have been filled, they will pour forth rain upon the earth. If a tree falls to the south, or to the north, or to whatever direction it may fall, there it shall remain.
Nxa amayezi ethwele, anisa izulu emhlabathini. Aluba isihlahla singawela eningizimu loba enhla, silala khonapho esiwele khona.
4 Whoever heeds the wind will not sow. And whoever considers the clouds will never reap.
Lowo onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela; lowo okhangela amayezi akazukuvuna.
5 In the same manner that you do not know the way of the spirit, nor the way that bones are joined together in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the works of God, who is the Maker of all.
Njengoba ungayazi indlela yomoya, loba ukubunjwa komzimba esiswini sikanina, yikho ungeke uzwisise umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, uMenzi wezinto zonke.
6 In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not let your hand cease. For you do not know which of these may rise up, the one or the other. But if both rise up together, so much the better.
Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, kuthi ntambama uphumuze izandla zakho, ngoba kawukwazi okuzaphumelela, kumbe yilokhu loba yilokhuyana, langabe kokubili kuzalunga ngokufananayo.
7 Light is pleasant, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun.
Ukukhanya kumnandi, njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
8 If a man lives for many years, and if he has rejoiced in all of these, he must remember the many days of the dark times, which, when they will have arrived, will accuse the past of vanity.
Umuntu angaze aphile iminyaka emingaki, kayikholise yonke. Kodwa makakhumbule insuku zobumnyama, ngoba zizabe zizinengi. Konke okuzakuza kuyize.
9 So then, rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart remain in what is good during the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and with the perception of your eyes. And know that, concerning all these things, God will bring you to judgment.
Jabula nsizwa usesemutsha, uvumele inhliziyo yakho ikuthokozise ensukwini zobutsha bakho. Landela izindlela zenhliziyo yakho lakho konke amehlo akho akubonayo, kodwa yazi ukuthi ngenxa yazo zonke lezizinto uNkulunkulu uzakumisa ekwahlulelweni.
10 Remove anger from your heart, and set aside evil from your flesh. For youth and pleasure are empty.
Ngakho-ke, susa ukukhathazeka enhliziyweni yakho ulahlele kude inhlupheko zomzimba wakho, ngoba ubutsha lamadlabuzane kuyize.
