Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.
Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kwamanzi, ngoba ngemva kwensuku ezinengi uzasifumana futhi.
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
Yabela abayisikhombisa, yebo abayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawuwazi umonakalo ongehlela elizweni.
3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
Nxa amayezi ethwele, anisa izulu emhlabathini. Aluba isihlahla singawela eningizimu loba enhla, silala khonapho esiwele khona.
4 He that observeth the wind will not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds will not reap.
Lowo onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela; lowo okhangela amayezi akazukuvuna.
5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, how the bones [grow] in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all.
Njengoba ungayazi indlela yomoya, loba ukubunjwa komzimba esiswini sikanina, yikho ungeke uzwisise umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, uMenzi wezinto zonke.
6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, kuthi ntambama uphumuze izandla zakho, ngoba kawukwazi okuzaphumelela, kumbe yilokhu loba yilokhuyana, langabe kokubili kuzalunga ngokufananayo.
7 Now the light is sweet, and pleasant is it to the eyes to see the sun;
Ukukhanya kumnandi, njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
8 but if a man live many years, [and] rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many: all that cometh is vanity.
Umuntu angaze aphile iminyaka emingaki, kayikholise yonke. Kodwa makakhumbule insuku zobumnyama, ngoba zizabe zizinengi. Konke okuzakuza kuyize.
9 Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these [things] God will bring thee into 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 Then remove discontent from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.
Ngakho-ke, susa ukukhathazeka enhliziyweni yakho ulahlele kude inhlupheko zomzimba wakho, ngoba ubutsha lamadlabuzane kuyize.
