UmTshumayeli 4
1 Ngakhangela njalo ngabona konke ukuncindezelwa okwakukhona ngaphansi kwelanga: Ngabona inyembezi zabancindezelwayo babengelabaduduzi; amandla ayekulaba abancindezelayo abalaye umduduzi.
Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
2 Ngangifakaza ukuthi abafileyo, abavele sebefile, bayathokoza kulabaphilayo, abalokhu besaphila.
So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
3 Kodwa okungcono kulakho kokubili ngulowo ongakabikhona, ongakaboni ububi obenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga.
However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
4 Ngasengibona ukuthi konke ukusebenza lokuphumelela konke kuvela emhawini womuntu ngomakhelwane wakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
5 Isiwula sigoqa izandla zaso sidilize impilo yaso.
The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
6 Kungcono isandla esisodwa esigcweleyo silokuthula kulezandla ezimbili ezingagcwalanga ezilomtshikatshika lokuxotshana lomoya.
But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
7 Njalo ngabona okunye okuyize ngaphansi kwelanga:
Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
8 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!
There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
9 Ababili bangcono kuloyedwa, ngoba balomvuzo obonakalayo ngomsebenzi wabo.
Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
10 Omunye angawa, umngane wakhe uyamncedisa amvuse. Kodwa maye lowomuntu owayo kungelamuntu ongamsiza amvuse!
For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
11 Njalo nxa ababili belala ndawonye bazakhudumezana. Kanti umuntu angakhudumala kanjani eyedwa na?
If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12 Loba umuntu engehlulwa nxa eyedwa, ababili bangazivikela. Intambo elemicu emithathu kayiqamuki lula.
One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
13 Lingcono ijaha elingumyanga kodwa lihlakaniphile kulenkosi endala eyisiwula eyalayo ukwamukela izixwayiso.
It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
14 Ijaha lelo kungabe ngeliphuma ejele libe yinkosi, loba lingelazalelwa ebuyangeni elizweni lalowombuso.
This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 Ngabona ukuthi bonke ababephila behamba ngaphansi kwelanga balilandela lelojaha elathatha isikhundla sobukhosi.
I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
16 Amakhosi la (endala lencinyane) kungabe ayelodumo elandelwa ngabantu abanengi abangelakubalwa. Kodwa izizukulwane ezilandelayo azimthandanga lowo owathatha ubukhosi. Lokhu lakho kuyize, yikuxotshana lomoya.
There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
