UmTshumayeli 6
1 Sengibone obunye ububi ngaphansi kwelanga engibona ukuthi bunzima kakhulu ebantwini:
There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
2 UNkulunkulu upha umuntu inotho lempahla lodumo ukuze angasileli lutho oluloyiswa yinhliziyo yakhe, kodwa uNkulunkulu kamniki amandla okuthi azikholise lezozinto, zikholiswa ngowemzini. Lokhu kuyize, ububi obudanisayo.
It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
3 Umuntu angaba labantwana abalikhulu aphile okweminyaka eminengi; ikanti loba angaze aphile kanganani kodwa nxa engeke akholise inotho yakhe njalo angangcwatshwa ngendlela eqondileyo, ngithi umphunzo ungcono kulaye.
If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
4 Ufika ungasilutho, unyamalale emnyameni lebizo lawo liphelele emnyameni.
For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
5 Loba lowomphunzo ungazange ulibone ilanga loba wazi ulutho usekuphumuleni okungcono kulalowomuntu
He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
6 loba angaze aphile okweminyaka eyinkulungwane iphindwe kabili kodwa angaze akholisa inotho yakhe. Kabayi ndawonye bonke na?
Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
7 Yonke imizamo yomuntu iya emlonyeni wakhe, kodwa iphango lakhe kaligcwali.
Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
8 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ungcono ngani kulesiwula? Umuntu ongumyanga uzuzani ngokwazi ukuziphatha kuhle phambi kwabanye na?
What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
9 Kungcono okubonwa lilihlo kulokuhwaywa liphango. Lokhu lakho kuyize, yikuxotshana lomoya.
It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
10 Loba yini ekhona seyavele yethiwa ibizo, laloba yini umuntu ayiyo yona kuvele sekusaziwa; akulamuntu ongaphuthumana lomunye olamandla kulaye.
Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
11 Ngokwanda kwamazwi siyancipha lesisindo sawo; pho kumsiza ngani umuntu?
There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
12 Kambe ngubani okwaziyo okulungele umuntu ekuphileni kwakhe ngensuku ezimbalwa ezingatsho lutho adlula kuzo njengethunzi na? Ngubani ongamtshela okuzakwenzeka ngaphansi kwelanga yena esedlule?
Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
