Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast your bread upon the waters: for you shall find it after many days.

Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kobuso bamanzi, ngoba uzasithola emva kwensuku ezinengi.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Nika isabelo kwabayisikhombisa, yebo, lakwabayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawazi ukuthi bubi bani obuzakuba emhlabeni.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.

Uba amayezi egcwele izulu, ayalithululela emhlabeni; uba-ke isihlahla siwela ngeningizimu kumbe ngenyakatho, endaweni lapho isihlahla esiwela khona sizakuba khonapho.

4 He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.

Onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela, lalowo okhangela amayezi kayikuvuna.

5 As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all.

Njengoba ungazi ukuthi iyini indlela yomoya, akhula njani amathambo esiswini sokhulelweyo, ngokunjalo kawazi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu owenza konke.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, lantambama ungaphumuzi isandla sakho; ngoba kawazi ukuthi yiyiphi ezaphumelela, le kumbe leyana, loba zombili zizakuba zinhle ngokufananayo.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

Sibili, 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 comes is vanity.

Kodwa uba umuntu ephila iminyaka eminengi, kathokoze ngayo yonke; kodwa kakhumbule lensuku zomnyama, ngoba zizakuba zinengi. Konke okuzayo kuyize.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes: but know you, that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Thokoza, jaha, ebutsheni bakho, lenhliziyo yakho kayikuthokozise ensukwini zobutsha bakho, uhambe endleleni zenhliziyo yakho lekuboneni kwamehlo akho. Kodwa yazi ukuthi ngenxa yazo zonke izinto uNkulunkulu uzakuletha kusahlulelo.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Ngakho susa ukudabuka enhliziyweni yakho, ukhuphe ububi enyameni yakho, ngoba ubutsha lobujaha buyize.