UmTshumayeli 3
1 Zonke izinto zilesikhathi sazo, konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga kulesibanga sakho:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the 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 break down, and a time to build up;
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 cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
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 to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 Umuntu osebenzayo uzuzani na ngokusadalala kwakhe?
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 Sengiwubonile umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu.
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to 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 every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi kakukho okungcono ebantwini kulokuthi bajabule njalo benze okuhle besaphila.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 Ukuthi wonke umuntu adle, anathe asuthiseke ekusebenzeni kwakhe gadalala, lokhu kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu.
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it 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 know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 Loba yini ekhona seyake yaba khona, kulalokho okuzakuba khona sekwaba khona ngaphambili; njalo uNkulunkulu uzakubalisa okwedlulayo.
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 Njalo ngabona okunye ngaphansi kwelanga: endaweni yokwahlulela, ububi babukhona, endaweni yokulungisa, ububi babukhona.
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 Ngacabanga ngenhliziyo yami, “UNkulunkulu uzabehlulela bonke abalungileyo lababi, ngoba sizaba khona isikhathi sezenzakalo zonke, isikhathi sawo wonke umsebenzi.”
I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 Ngacabanga njalo ngathi, “UNkulunkulu uyabahlola abantu ukuze babone ukuthi banjengezinyamazana.
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are 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.
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 Konke kuya ndawo yinye; konke kuvela othulini, yikho konke kubuyela othulini.
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Ngubani owaziyo ingabe umphefumulo womuntu uyakhwela uye phezulu kuthi owenyamazana wehlele phansi phakathi emhlabathini?”
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
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?
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
