< Psalms 49 >
1 For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people of the world—
Zwanini lokhu lonke bantu. Bekani indlebe lonke bakhileyo bomhlaba,
2 whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
bonke abantukazana labaphakemeyo, abanothileyo labayanga, ndawonye.
3 For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
Umlomo wami uzakhuluma izinhlakanipho, lokuzindla kwenhliziyo yami kuzakuba yikuqedisisa.
4 I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
Ngizabeka indlebe yami kuso isaga, ngizavula ilibho lami ngechacho.
5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
Ngizakwesabelani ensukwini zobubi, nxa ububi babagwenxi bami buzangihanqa.
6 They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
Abathemba ingcebo yabo, abazincoma ngobunengi benotho yabo,
7 but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
umuntu kasoze ahlenge lokuhlenga umfowabo, kasoze amnike uNkulunkulu inhlawulo yakhe,
8 Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
(ngoba uhlengo lomphefumulo wabo luligugu, futhi luyaphela laphakade)
9 that they could live forever and not face the grave.
ukuze ahlale ephila phakade, angaboni ukubola.
10 Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
Ngoba ubona ukuthi abahlakaniphileyo bayafa, lokuthi isithutha kanye lesiphukuphuku bayabhubha, batshiyele inotho yabo abanye.
11 They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
Umcabango wabo wangaphakathi uyikuthi izindlu zabo zizakuba ngezaphakade, izindawo zabo zokuhlala zibe ngezezizukulwana, babize amazwe ngamabizo abo.
12 But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
Kodwa umuntu elodumo kayikuma, uyafanana lenyamazana ezibhubhayo.
13 This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)
Le indlela yabo iyibuthutha babo; kube kanti ababalandelayo bathokoza ngomlomo wabo. (Sela)
14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. Those who live right will rule over them in the morning. Their bodies will decay in the grave, far from their homes. (Sheol )
Njengezimvu bamiselwe ingcwaba, ukufa kuzabelusa; labaqotho bazababusa ekuseni, isimo sabo ngesokuqedwa lingcwaba ukuze bangabi lendawo yokuhlala. (Sheol )
15 But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (Sheol )
Kodwa uNkulunkulu uzahlenga umphefumulo wami emandleni engcwaba, ngoba uzangemukela. (Sela) (Sheol )
16 Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
Ungesabi nxa umuntu enotha, nxa udumo lwendlu yakhe lusanda;
17 For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave with them.
ngoba ekufeni kwakhe kayikuthatha lutho, udumo lwakhe kaluyikwehla lumlandele.
18 They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
Lanxa empilweni yakhe wabusisa umphefumulo wakhe, njalo bakudumisa nxa uzenzela okuhle,
19 but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
uzakuya esizukulwaneni saboyise, kabayikubona ukukhanya kuze kube phakade.
20 Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
Umuntu olodumo, engaqedisisi, unjengezinyamazana ezibhubhayo.