Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamafutha amahle; losuku lokufa kulosuku lokuzalwa kwakhe.
2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
Kungcono ukuya endlini yokulila kulokuya endlini yedili; ngoba lokhu kuyisiphetho sakhe wonke umuntu; lophilayo uzakubeka enhliziyweni yakhe.
3 Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Usizi lungcono kulohleko, ngoba ngokudana kobuso inhliziyo yenziwa ngcono.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
Inhliziyo yabahlakaniphileyo isendlini yokulila, kodwa inhliziyo yezithutha isendlini yentokozo.
5 [It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Kungcono ukuzwa ukukhuza kohlakaniphileyo kulokuthi umuntu ezwe ingoma yezithutha.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.
Ngoba njengokuchachamba kwameva ngaphansi kwembiza lunjalo uhleko lwesithutha. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Isibili ucindezelo lwenza ohlakaniphileyo abe luhlanya, lesipho siyayichitha inhliziyo.
8 Better [is] the end of a thing than its beginning: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.
Singcono isiphetho sento kulokuqala kwayo; kungcono ukubekezela komoya kulokuziphakamisa komoya.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ungaphangisi emoyeni wakho ukuthukuthela, ngoba ukuthukuthela kuhlala esifubeni sezithutha.
10 Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Ungatsho ukuthi: Kwenziwa yini ukuthi insuku zakuqala zibe ngcono kulalezi? Ngoba kawubuzi ngenhlakanipho ngalokhu.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
Inhlakanipho yinhle ilelifa, njalo kulenzuzo kwabalibonayo ilanga.
12 For wisdom [is] a defense, [and] money [is] a defense: but the excellence of knowledge [is], [that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
Ngoba inhlakanipho iyisivikelo, imali iyisivikelo; kodwa ubungcono bolwazi yikuthi lunika impilo kubaninilo.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?
Nakana umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu; ngoba ngubani olakho ukwelula akugobisileyo?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
Thokoza ngosuku lokuphumelela, kodwa ngosuku lobubi nakana: UNkulunkulu ulwenzile lalolu lwaba njengalolo, ukuze umuntu angatholi lutho oluzakuba khona emva kwakhe.
15 All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
Konke ngikubonile ensukwini zokuyize kwami: Kukhona olungileyo obhubhela ekulungeni kwakhe, njalo kukhona omubi owelula impilo yakhe ebubini bakhe.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldst thou destroy thyself?
Ungabi ngolungileyo ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungahlakaniphi okwedlulisileyo; uzichithelani?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldst thou die before thy time?
Ungabi ngomubi ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungabi yisiwula; uzafelani kungakabi yisikhathi sakho?
18 [It is] good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yes, also from this withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall escape from them all.
Kuhle ukuthi ubambelele kulokhu, yebo, ungabuyisi isandla sakho lakulokho; ngoba omesabayo uNkulunkulu uzaphepha kukho konke.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] who are in the city.
Inhlakanipho iyamqinisa ohlakaniphileyo okwedlula ababusi abalitshumi abasemzini.
20 For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Ngoba kakulamuntu olungileyo emhlabeni owenza okuhle angoni.
21 Also take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Futhi ungabeki inhliziyo yakho emazwini wonke akhulunywayo, ukuze ungezwa ukuthi inceku yakho iyakuthuka.
22 For often also thy own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Ngoba ngezikhathi ezinengi lenhliziyo yakho iyakwazi ukuthi lawe uqobo ubathukile abanye.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
Konke lokhu ngikuhlolile ngenhlakanipho, ngathi: Ngizahlakanipha; kodwa kwakukhatshana lami.
24 That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?
Okukhatshana, lokujule kakhulu, ngubani ozakufumana?
25 I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:
Ngaphenduka mina lenhliziyo yami ukwazi lokuhlola lokudinga inhlakanipho, lesizatho sezinto, lokwazi inkohlakalo yobuwula, lobuthutha bobuhlanya.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoever pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Ngasengithola okubaba kulokufa: Owesifazana onhliziyo yakhe iyimijibila lamambule, lezandla zakhe ziyizibopho. Olungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu uzaphepha kuye, kodwa isoni sizabanjwa nguye.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
Khangela, yilokhu engikutholileyo, utsho umTshumayeli, ngibeka okunye kokunye, ukuthola isizatho sezinto,
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
umphefumulo wami osasidinga kodwa kangisitholanga. Indoda eyodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane ngayithola, kodwa owesifazana phakathi kwabo bonke labo kangimtholanga.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Khangela, yilokhu kuphela engikutholileyo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu waqonda; kodwa bona sebedinge amacebo amanengi.
