Ecclesiastes 11
1 Send forth your bread upon the face of the water: for you shall 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 you know not what evil there shall be upon the earth.
Yabela abayisikhombisa, yebo abayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawuwazi umonakalo ongehlela elizweni.
3 If the clouds be filled with rain, they pour [it] out upon the earth: and if a tree fall southward, or if it fall northward, in the place where the tree shall fall, there it shall be.
Nxa amayezi ethwele, anisa izulu emhlabathini. Aluba isihlahla singawela eningizimu loba enhla, silala khonapho esiwele khona.
4 He that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap.
Lowo onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela; lowo okhangela amayezi akazukuvuna.
5 Among whom none knows what is the way of the wind: as the bones [are hid] in the womb of a pregnant [woman], so you shall not know the works of God, [even] all things whatever he shall do.
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 let not your hand be slack: for you know not what sort shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both shall be good alike.
Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, kuthi ntambama uphumuze izandla zakho, ngoba kawukwazi okuzaphumelela, kumbe yilokhu loba yilokhuyana, langabe kokubili kuzalunga ngokufananayo.
7 Moreover the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.
Ukukhanya kumnandi, njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
8 For even if a man should 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.
Umuntu angaze aphile iminyaka emingaki, kayikholise yonke. Kodwa makakhumbule insuku zobumnyama, ngoba zizabe zizinengi. Konke okuzakuza 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 blameless, but not in the sight of your eyes: yet know that for all these things God will bring you 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 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for youth and folly are vanity.
Ngakho-ke, susa ukukhathazeka enhliziyweni yakho ulahlele kude inhlupheko zomzimba wakho, ngoba ubutsha lamadlabuzane kuyize.
