UmTshumayeli 3
1 Zonke izinto zilesikhathi sazo, konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga kulesibanga sakho:
All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.
2 isikhathi sokuzalwa lesikhathi sokufa, isikhathi sokuhlanyela lesikhathi sokusiphuna,
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3 isikhathi sokubulala lesikhathi sokuphilisa, isikhathi sokubhidliza lesikhathi sokwakha,
A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.
4 isikhathi sokukhala lesikhathi sokuhleka, isikhathi sokulila lesikhathi sokugida,
A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 isikhathi sokuchithiza amatshe lesikhathi sokuwabutha, isikhathi sokugona lesikhathi sokunina,
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
6 isikhathi sokudinga lesikhathi sokukhalala, isikhathi sokugcina lesikhathi sokulahla,
A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 isikhathi sokudabula lesikhathi sokuthunga, isikhathi sokuthula lesikhathi sokukhuluma,
A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8 isikhathi sokuthanda lesikhathi sokuzonda, isikhathi sempi lesikhathi sokuthula.
A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.
9 Umuntu osebenzayo uzuzani na ngokusadalala kwakhe?
What hath man more of his labour?
10 Sengiwubonile umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu.
I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 Yonke into uyenze yabanhle ngesikhathi sayo. Wamupha umuntu iphakade enhliziyweni yakhe; kodwa abantu bangeke bafinyelele kulokho uNkulunkulu asakwenzayo kwasekuqaleni kusiya ekupheleni.
He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.
12 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi kakukho okungcono ebantwini kulokuthi bajabule njalo benze okuhle besaphila.
And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.
13 Ukuthi wonke umuntu adle, anathe asuthiseke ekusebenzeni kwakhe gadalala, lokhu kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu.
For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God.
14 Ngiyazi yonke into eyenziwa nguNkulunkulu izakuba khona kokuphela; akulalutho olungengezwa kukho loba kususwe kukho. UNkulunkulu uyenza lokho ukuze abantu bamkhonze.
I have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared.
15 Loba yini ekhona seyake yaba khona, kulalokho okuzakuba khona sekwaba khona ngaphambili; njalo uNkulunkulu uzakubalisa okwedlulayo.
That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.
16 Njalo ngabona okunye ngaphansi kwelanga: endaweni yokwahlulela, ububi babukhona, endaweni yokulungisa, ububi babukhona.
I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.
17 Ngacabanga ngenhliziyo yami, “UNkulunkulu uzabehlulela bonke abalungileyo lababi, ngoba sizaba khona isikhathi sezenzakalo zonke, isikhathi sawo wonke umsebenzi.”
And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.
18 Ngacabanga njalo ngathi, “UNkulunkulu uyabahlola abantu ukuze babone ukuthi banjengezinyamazana.
I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God would prove them, and shew them to be like beasts.
19 Isiphetho somuntu siyafana lesezinyamazana; isiphetho sinye sibalindele bonke: njengoba lokhu kuyafa, kanjalo lokunye kuyafa. Konke kokubili kulomphefumulo munye; umuntu kangcono kulenyamazana. Konke kuyize.
Therefore the death of man, and of beasts is one, and the condition of them both is equal: as man dieth, so they also die: all things breathe alike, and man hath nothing more than beast: all things are subject to vanity.
20 Konke kuya ndawo yinye; konke kuvela othulini, yikho konke kubuyela othulini.
And all things go to one place: of earth they were made, and into earth they return together.
21 Ngubani owaziyo ingabe umphefumulo womuntu uyakhwela uye phezulu kuthi owenyamazana wehlele phansi phakathi emhlabathini?”
Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward, and if the spirit of the beasts descend downward?
22 Yikho ngabona ukuthi kakukho okungcono emuntwini ngaphandle kokuthi akholise umsebenzi wakhe ngoba leso yiso isabelo sakhe. Ngoba kambe ngubani ongamenza ukuthi abone lokho okuzakwenzakala yena esedlule?
And I have found that nothing is better than for a man to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion. For who shall bring him to know the things that shall be after him?
