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.
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona incindezelo zonke ezenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke inyembezi zabacindezelweyo, njalo babengelamduduzi; lehlangothini lwababacindezelayo kwakulamandla, kodwa babengelamduduzi.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Ngakho ngancoma abafileyo, abavele sebefile, okwedlula abaphilayo, 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.
Yebo ungcono kulabo bobabili, ongakabi khona, ongabonanga umsebenzi omubi owenziwa 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 mina wonke umtshikatshika lempumelelo yonke yomsebenzi, ngoba lokhu kungumhawu womuntu ovela kumakhelwane wakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
Isiphukuphuku sigoqa izandla zaso sidle inyama 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.”
Singcono isandla esigcwele ukuthula kulezandla ezimbili ezigcwele ukutshikatshika lokukhathazeka komoya.
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona ize 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.
Kukhona oyedwa, njalo kakho owesibili, yebo kalamntwana kumbe umfowabo, njalo kakulakuphela komtshikatshika wakhe wonke, lelihlo lakhe kalisuthiswa yinotho, njalo katsho ukuthi: Ngitshikatshikela bani, ngenze umphefumulo wami uswele okuhle? Lokhu lakho kuyize, yebo, kungumsebenzi omubi.
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 omuhle ngokutshikatshika kwabo.
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.
Ngoba uba besiwa omunye uzamvusa umngane wakhe; kodwa maye kuye oyedwa nxa esiwa, ngoba kungekho owesibili ongamvusa.
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
Futhi uba ababili belala ndawonye, ngakho balokukhudumala; kodwa ngoyedwa angakhudumala njani?
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].
Njalo uba omunye engehlula oyedwa, ababili bazamelana laye; lentambo elemicu emithathu kayiqanyulwa masinyane.
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.
Umfana ongumyanga ohlakaniphileyo ungcono kulenkosi endala eyisithutha engasakwazi ukwelulekwa.
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.
Ngoba uyaphuma entolongweni ukuthi abe yinkosi, lanxa futhi owayezelwe embusweni wakhe esiba ngumyanga.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Ngabona bonke abaphilayo abahamba ngaphansi kwelanga, lomfana wesibili ozakuma esikhundleni sakhe.
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.
Kakulasiphetho sabantu bonke, sabo bonke ababephambi kwabo, lalabo abeza emva kabayikuthokoza ngaye. Isibili lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
