Ecclesiastes 4
1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
Ngakhangela njalo ngabona konke ukuncindezelwa okwakukhona ngaphansi kwelanga: Ngabona inyembezi zabancindezelwayo babengelabaduduzi; amandla ayekulaba abancindezelayo abalaye umduduzi.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Ngangifakaza ukuthi abafileyo, abavele sebefile, bayathokoza kulabaphilayo, abalokhu besaphila.
3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
Kodwa okungcono kulakho kokubili ngulowo ongakabikhona, ongakaboni ububi obenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga.
4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
Ngasengibona ukuthi konke ukusebenza lokuphumelela konke kuvela emhawini womuntu ngomakhelwane wakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
Isiwula sigoqa izandla zaso sidilize impilo yaso.
6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
Kungcono isandla esisodwa esigcweleyo silokuthula kulezandla ezimbili ezingagcwalanga ezilomtshikatshika lokuxotshana lomoya.
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Njalo ngabona okunye okuyize ngaphansi kwelanga:
8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
Kwakulendoda eyayiyodwa zwi; yayingelandodana loba umfowabo. Yayisebenza gadalala ingaphumuli, kodwa amehlo ayo ayengasuthiswa yinotho yayo. Yabuza yathi, “Ngiginqela bani kangaka, njalo kungani ngizincitsha intokozo?” Lokhu lakho kuyize umsebenzi othelela usizi!
9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
Ababili bangcono kuloyedwa, ngoba balomvuzo obonakalayo ngomsebenzi wabo.
10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
Omunye angawa, umngane wakhe uyamncedisa amvuse. Kodwa maye lowomuntu owayo kungelamuntu ongamsiza amvuse!
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
Njalo nxa ababili belala ndawonye bazakhudumezana. Kanti umuntu angakhudumala kanjani eyedwa na?
12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
Loba umuntu engehlulwa nxa eyedwa, ababili bangazivikela. Intambo elemicu emithathu kayiqamuki lula.
13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
Lingcono ijaha elingumyanga kodwa lihlakaniphile kulenkosi endala eyisiwula eyalayo ukwamukela izixwayiso.
14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
Ijaha lelo kungabe ngeliphuma ejele libe yinkosi, loba lingelazalelwa ebuyangeni elizweni lalowombuso.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Ngabona ukuthi bonke ababephila behamba ngaphansi kwelanga balilandela lelojaha elathatha isikhundla sobukhosi.
16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
Amakhosi la (endala lencinyane) kungabe ayelodumo elandelwa ngabantu abanengi abangelakubalwa. Kodwa izizukulwane ezilandelayo azimthandanga lowo owathatha ubukhosi. Lokhu lakho kuyize, yikuxotshana lomoya.
