Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast thy bread-corn, upon the face of the waters, —for, after many days, shalt thou find it:
Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kobuso bamanzi, ngoba uzasithola emva kwensuku ezinengi.
2 Give a portion to seven, yea even to eight, —for thou canst not know, what there shall be of misfortune, upon the earth.
Nika isabelo kwabayisikhombisa, yebo, lakwabayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawazi ukuthi bubi bani obuzakuba emhlabeni.
3 If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.
Uba amayezi egcwele izulu, ayalithululela emhlabeni; uba-ke isihlahla siwela ngeningizimu kumbe ngenyakatho, endaweni lapho isihlahla esiwela khona sizakuba khonapho.
4 He that observeth the wind, will not sow, —and, he that watcheth the clouds, will not reap.
Onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela, lalowo okhangela amayezi kayikuvuna.
5 Just as thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.
Njengoba ungazi ukuthi iyini indlela yomoya, akhula njani amathambo esiswini sokhulelweyo, ngokunjalo kawazi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu owenza konke.
6 In the morning, sow thy seed, and, until evening, do not withhold thy hand, —for thou knowest not—whether shall thrive, either this or that, or whether, both alike, shall be fruitful.
Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, lantambama ungaphumuzi isandla sakho; ngoba kawazi ukuthi yiyiphi ezaphumelela, le kumbe leyana, loba zombili zizakuba zinhle ngokufananayo.
7 Truly sweet is the light, —and, pleasant to the eyes, to see the sun:
Sibili, ukukhanya kumnandi; njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
8 But, though, many years, a man live, through them all, let him rejoice; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for many they may be, all that cometh, may be 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 thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou—in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, —yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee 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 thou vexation from thy heart, and put away discomfort from thy flesh, —for, youth and dawn, are vanity!
Ngakho susa ukudabuka enhliziyweni yakho, ukhuphe ububi enyameni yakho, ngoba ubutsha lobujaha buyize.
