UmTshumayeli 5
1 Qaphela izinyathelo zakho nxa usiya endlini kaNkulunkulu. Sondela ulalele kulokuthi wenze imihlatshelo yeziwula ezingaziyo ukuthi ziyona.
Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.
2 Ungawalazeli ngomlomo wakho, ungabi lephaphu uphange uthembise kuNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu usezulwini ikanti wena usemhlabeni, ngakho kawabe malutshwana amazwi akho.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.
3 Njengephupho elifika nxa kulezinkathazo ezinengi, injalo inkulumo yesiwula nxa ilamazwi amanengi.
For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.
4 Nxa usenza isifungo kuNkulunkulu, ungaphuzi ukusigcwalisa. Kathokozi ngeziwula; gcwalisa isifungo sakho.
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.
5 Kungcono ukungafungi kulokwenza isifungo ungabe usasigcwalisa.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6 Ungavumeli umlomo wakho ukungenise esonweni. Njalo ungatshingeli isithunywa sethempelini usithi, “Isifungo sami besiyisiphosiso.” UNkulunkulu angakuthukuthelelani lokho okutshoyo abesebhidliza umsebenzi wezandla zakho na?
Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7 Ukuphupha kanengi lamazwi amanengi kuyize. Ngakho mesabe uNkulunkulu.
For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.
8 Nxa ubona abayanga esiqintini bencindezelwa, bencitshwa ukwahlulelwa okuhle kanye lamalungelo, ungamangaliswa yilezozinto; ngoba phela induna nganye ikhangelwe ngomunye ongaphezu kwayo, kuthi ngaphezu kwabo bonke kube labanye njalo abangaphezulu.
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.
9 Inala elizweni ngeyomuntu wonke; inkosi ngokwayo ithola inzuzo ngalokho okuvela emasimini.
But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.
10 Lowo othanda imali akaneliswa yiloba yimalini; lowo othanda inotho akasuthiswa yilokho akuzuzayo. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.
11 Nxa inotho isanda, bayanda lalabo abayisebenzisayo. Imsiza ngani umniniyo ngaphandle kokuyithapha ngamehlo nje kuphela?
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes?
12 Bumnandi ubuthongo besisebenzi, loba sisidla okuncane loba okunengi, kodwa isinothi asilali ngenxa yenotho yaso.
Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Sengibone ububi obudanisayo ngaphansi kwelanga: ubuhaga ngenotho okulimaza umnikazi,
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;
14 loba inotho esuke yachitheka ngomnyama othile, okuthi nxa umuntu elendodana ayisayikuthola lutho.
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 Umuntu uphuma esiswini sikanina engelalutho, njengokufika kwakhe ubuyela enjalo. Kazuzi lutho olusuka emsebenzini wakhe angaluphatha ezandleni zakhe.
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 Lobu labo yibubi obudanisayo: Njengokufika kwakhe, umuntu uzabuyela enjalo, ngakho uzuzani, njengoba esebenza esadalalela umoya?
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?
17 Zonke insuku zakhe udlela emnyameni, ekhathazekile, ehluphekile, ezondile.
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath.
18 Ngasengibona ukuthi kuhle kuqondile ukuthi umuntu adle njalo anathe, njalo azuze ukusuthiseka ekutshikatshikeni kwakhe ngomsebenzi ngaphansi kwelanga ngalezonsuku ezilutshwane ezokuphila uNkulunkulu asamuphe zona ngoba lesi yisabelo sakhe.
Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.
19 Kunjalo futhi ukuthi nxa uNkulunkulu esipha umuntu inotho lempahla, amvumele ukuthi akholise ngazo, emukele isabelo sakhe athokoze emsebenzini wakhe, lesi yisipho sikaNkulunkulu.
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour — this is the gift of God.
20 Kahlali ekhumbula ngezinsuku zempilo yakhe ngoba uNkulunkulu umenza ahlale ngenjabulo enhliziyweni.
For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
