Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamafutha amahle; losuku lokufa kulosuku lokuzalwa kwakhe.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Kungcono ukuya endlini yokulila kulokuya endlini yedili; ngoba lokhu kuyisiphetho sakhe wonke umuntu; lophilayo uzakubeka enhliziyweni yakhe.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Usizi lungcono kulohleko, ngoba ngokudana kobuso inhliziyo yenziwa ngcono.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Inhliziyo yabahlakaniphileyo isendlini yokulila, kodwa inhliziyo yezithutha isendlini yentokozo.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Kungcono ukuzwa ukukhuza kohlakaniphileyo kulokuthi umuntu ezwe ingoma yezithutha.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Ngoba njengokuchachamba kwameva ngaphansi kwembiza lunjalo uhleko lwesithutha. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Isibili ucindezelo lwenza ohlakaniphileyo abe luhlanya, lesipho siyayichitha inhliziyo.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Singcono isiphetho sento kulokuqala kwayo; kungcono ukubekezela komoya kulokuziphakamisa komoya.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ungaphangisi emoyeni wakho ukuthukuthela, ngoba ukuthukuthela kuhlala esifubeni sezithutha.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Ungatsho ukuthi: Kwenziwa yini ukuthi insuku zakuqala zibe ngcono kulalezi? Ngoba kawubuzi ngenhlakanipho ngalokhu.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Inhlakanipho yinhle ilelifa, njalo kulenzuzo kwabalibonayo ilanga.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
Ngoba inhlakanipho iyisivikelo, imali iyisivikelo; kodwa ubungcono bolwazi yikuthi lunika impilo kubaninilo.
13 Consider the work of Elohim: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
Nakana umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu; ngoba ngubani olakho ukwelula akugobisileyo?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Elohim also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
Thokoza ngosuku lokuphumelela, kodwa ngosuku lobubi nakana: UNkulunkulu ulwenzile lalolu lwaba njengalolo, ukuze umuntu angatholi lutho oluzakuba khona emva kwakhe.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
Konke ngikubonile ensukwini zokuyize kwami: Kukhona olungileyo obhubhela ekulungeni kwakhe, njalo kukhona omubi owelula impilo yakhe ebubini bakhe.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Ungabi ngolungileyo ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungahlakaniphi okwedlulisileyo; uzichithelani?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Ungabi ngomubi ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungabi yisiwula; uzafelani kungakabi yisikhathi sakho?
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth Elohim shall come forth of them all.
Kuhle ukuthi ubambelele kulokhu, yebo, ungabuyisi isandla sakho lakulokho; ngoba omesabayo uNkulunkulu uzaphepha kukho konke.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Inhlakanipho iyamqinisa ohlakaniphileyo okwedlula ababusi abalitshumi abasemzini.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Ngoba kakulamuntu olungileyo emhlabeni owenza okuhle angoni.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Futhi ungabeki inhliziyo yakho emazwini wonke akhulunywayo, ukuze ungezwa ukuthi inceku yakho iyakuthuka.
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Ngoba ngezikhathi ezinengi lenhliziyo yakho iyakwazi ukuthi lawe uqobo ubathukile abanye.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Konke lokhu ngikuhlolile ngenhlakanipho, ngathi: Ngizahlakanipha; kodwa kwakukhatshana lami.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Okukhatshana, lokujule kakhulu, ngubani ozakufumana?
25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
Ngaphenduka mina lenhliziyo yami ukwazi lokuhlola lokudinga inhlakanipho, lesizatho sezinto, lokwazi inkohlakalo yobuwula, lobuthutha bobuhlanya.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth Elohim shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Ngasengithola okubaba kulokufa: Owesifazana onhliziyo yakhe iyimijibila lamambule, lezandla zakhe ziyizibopho. Olungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu uzaphepha kuye, kodwa isoni sizabanjwa nguye.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
Khangela, yilokhu engikutholileyo, utsho umTshumayeli, ngibeka okunye kokunye, ukuthola isizatho sezinto,
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
umphefumulo wami osasidinga kodwa kangisitholanga. Indoda eyodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane ngayithola, kodwa owesifazana phakathi kwabo bonke labo kangimtholanga.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that Elohim hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Khangela, yilokhu kuphela engikutholileyo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu waqonda; kodwa bona sebedinge amacebo amanengi.
