UmTshumayeli 7
1 Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamakha amnandi, lelanga lokufa lingcono kulelanga lokuzalwa.
A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 Kungcono ukuya endlini yesililo kulokuya endlini yamadili, ngoba ukufa kuyisiphetho somuntu wonke; abaphilayo kabakunanzelele lokho.
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
3 Usizi lungcono kulokuhleka, ngoba ubuso obudanileyo buyayisiza inhliziyo.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
4 Inhliziyo yabahlakaniphileyo isendlini yokulila, kodwa inhliziyo yeziwula isendlini yokuzithokozisa.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Kungcono ukulalela izixwayiso zomuntu ohlakaniphileyo kulokulalela ingoma yeziwula.
[It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Njengokuchachamba kwameva ngaphansi kwembiza, lunjalo uhleko lweziwula. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
7 Ukuqilibezela kwenza ohlakaniphileyo abe yisiwula, lesivalamlomo siyayona inhliziyo.
for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
8 Isiphetho sendaba singcono kulokuqala kwayo, lokubekezela kungcono kulokuqinisa intamo.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
9 Ungaphangisi ukufuthelana ngaphakathi, ngoba ulaka luhlezi lugonwe yiziwula.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
10 Ungaze wathi, “Kungani insuku zayizolo zazingcono kulalezi?” Ngoba kakukuhle ukubuza imibuzo enjalo.
Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
11 Ukuhlakanipha, njengelifa, kuyinto enhle njalo kuyabasiza bonke abaphilayo.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuyisiphephelo njengoba imali iyisiphephelo, kodwa ubungcono bolwazi yilobu: ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kuyayilondoloza impilo yalowo olakho.
For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
13 Nakana ngalokho uNkulunkulu akwenzayo: Ngubani ongakuqondisa lokho akwenze kwagoba na?
Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
14 Ngezikhathi konke kukuhle, thokoza; kodwa ngezikhathi zobubi, cabanga ukuthi: uNkulunkulu ukwenzile lokhu kanye lalokhuyana njalo. Ngakho-ke umuntu ngeke akwazi ukuthi ikusasa lakhe lizakuba yini.
In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
15 Kuyonale impilo yami eyize sengizibonile izinto lezi zombili: umuntu olungileyo uyafa elungile enjalo, lomuntu omubi uba lempilo enhle emubi enjalo.
I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
16 Ungalungi wedlulise, futhi ungabi lokuhlakanipha okweqileyo kambe uzibulalelani na?
Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.
17 Ungaxhwali okudlulisileyo, njalo ungabi yisiwula kambe ufelani singakafiki isikhathi sakho?
Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.
18 Kuhle ukuthi uthi ubambe lokhu ungayekeli uphunyukwe ngokunye. Umuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu kedlulisi amalawulo.
It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
19 Ukuhlakanipha kwenza umuntu ohlakaniphileyo oyedwa abe lamandla kulababusi abalitshumi edolobheni.
Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 Akulamuntu loyedwa olungileyo emhlabeni owenza okulungileyo ongazake enze isono.
For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
21 Ungaphiki ngokulalela wonke amazwi akhulunywa ngabantu, funa uzwe inceku yakho ikuthuka
Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22 ngoba uyakwazi enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi wena ngokwakho uyawubathuke abanye.
For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
23 Konke lokhu ngakuhlolisisa ngokuhlakanipha ngathi, “Ngizimisele ukuhlakanipha” kodwa lokhu kwakungaphezu kwami.
All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Ukuhlakanipha okungabe kukhona, kukhatshana kakhulu njalo kuzikile kakhulu: ngubani ongakufinyelela na?
[That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Ngasengibeka ingqondo yami ukuthi ngizwisise, ngidingisise njalo ngichwayisise ukuhlakanipha kanye lesimo sezinto lokuzwisisa ubuphukuphuku bokuxhwala lobuhlanya lobuwula.
I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
26 Ngibona ukuthi uyingozi eyedlula ukufa umfazi ongumjibila, onhliziyo yakhe iyisithiyo njalo ozandla zakhe zingamaketane. Indoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu izaphepha kuye, kodwa isigangi uzasihilela.
And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Uthi uMtshumayeli, “Khangela, nanku esengikunanzelele: Ngihlanganisa lokhu lalokhu ngizama ukubona isimo sezinto
Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
28 ngilokhu ngisachwayisisa kodwa ngingatholi ngafumanisa indoda eyodwa elungileyo kwabayinkulungwane, kodwa ngitsho loyedwa umfazi oqondileyo kubo.
which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
29 Yilokhu kuphela esengikufumene: UNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu wabaqotho, kodwa abantu basuka bazenzele okwabo.”
But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
