UmTshumayeli 6
1 Sengibone obunye ububi ngaphansi kwelanga engibona ukuthi bunzima kakhulu ebantwini:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common 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.
A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
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 brought forth an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 Ufika ungasilutho, unyamalale emnyameni lebizo lawo liphelele emnyameni.
For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Loba lowomphunzo ungazange ulibone ilanga loba wazi ulutho usekuphumuleni okungcono kulalowomuntu
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.
6 loba angaze aphile okweminyaka eyinkulungwane iphindwe kabili kodwa angaze akholisa inotho yakhe. Kabayi ndawonye bonke na?
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 Yonke imizamo yomuntu iya emlonyeni wakhe, kodwa iphango lakhe kaligcwali.
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ungcono ngani kulesiwula? Umuntu ongumyanga uzuzani ngokwazi ukuziphatha kuhle phambi kwabanye na?
For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living?
9 Kungcono okubonwa lilihlo kulokuhwaywa liphango. Lokhu lakho kuyize, yikuxotshana lomoya.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 Loba yini ekhona seyavele yethiwa ibizo, laloba yini umuntu ayiyo yona kuvele sekusaziwa; akulamuntu ongaphuthumana lomunye olamandla kulaye.
That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Ngokwanda kwamazwi siyancipha lesisindo sawo; pho kumsiza ngani umuntu?
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12 Kambe ngubani okwaziyo okulungele umuntu ekuphileni kwakhe ngensuku ezimbalwa ezingatsho lutho adlula kuzo njengethunzi na? Ngubani ongamtshela okuzakwenzeka ngaphansi kwelanga yena esedlule?
For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
