UmTshumayeli 7
1 Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamakha amnandi, lelanga lokufa lingcono kulelanga lokuzalwa.
A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's 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 house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
3 Usizi lungcono kulokuhleka, ngoba ubuso obudanileyo buyayisiza inhliziyo.
Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is 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 joy.
5 Kungcono ukulalela izixwayiso zomuntu ohlakaniphileyo kulokulalela ingoma yeziwula.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
6 Njengokuchachamba kwameva ngaphansi kwembiza, lunjalo uhleko lweziwula. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
7 Ukuqilibezela kwenza ohlakaniphileyo abe yisiwula, lesivalamlomo siyayona inhliziyo.
For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
8 Isiphetho sendaba singcono kulokuqala kwayo, lokubekezela kungcono kulokuqinisa intamo.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Ungaphangisi ukufuthelana ngaphakathi, ngoba ulaka luhlezi lugonwe yiziwula.
Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
10 Ungaze wathi, “Kungani insuku zayizolo zazingcono kulalezi?” Ngoba kakukuhle ukubuza imibuzo enjalo.
Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
11 Ukuhlakanipha, njengelifa, kuyinto enhle njalo kuyabasiza bonke abaphilayo.
Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
12 Ukuhlakanipha kuyisiphephelo njengoba imali iyisiphephelo, kodwa ubungcono bolwazi yilobu: ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kuyayilondoloza impilo yalowo olakho.
For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
13 Nakana ngalokho uNkulunkulu akwenzayo: Ngubani ongakuqondisa lokho akwenze kwagoba na?
Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath 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.
On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
15 Kuyonale impilo yami eyize sengizibonile izinto lezi zombili: umuntu olungileyo uyafa elungile enjalo, lomuntu omubi uba lempilo enhle emubi enjalo.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
16 Ungalungi wedlulise, futhi ungabi lokuhlakanipha okweqileyo kambe uzibulalelani na?
Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Ungaxhwali okudlulisileyo, njalo ungabi yisiwula kambe ufelani singakafiki isikhathi sakho?
Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
18 Kuhle ukuthi uthi ubambe lokhu ungayekeli uphunyukwe ngokunye. Umuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu kedlulisi amalawulo.
It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
19 Ukuhlakanipha kwenza umuntu ohlakaniphileyo oyedwa abe lamandla kulababusi abalitshumi edolobheni.
Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
20 Akulamuntu loyedwa olungileyo emhlabeni owenza okulungileyo ongazake enze isono.
For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
21 Ungaphiki ngokulalela wonke amazwi akhulunywa ngabantu, funa uzwe inceku yakho ikuthuka
Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22 ngoba uyakwazi enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi wena ngokwakho uyawubathuke abanye.
For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
23 Konke lokhu ngakuhlolisisa ngokuhlakanipha ngathi, “Ngizimisele ukuhlakanipha” kodwa lokhu kwakungaphezu kwami.
All this have I proved by 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?
Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
25 Ngasengibeka ingqondo yami ukuthi ngizwisise, ngidingisise njalo ngichwayisise ukuhlakanipha kanye lesimo sezinto lokuzwisisa ubuphukuphuku bokuxhwala lobuhlanya lobuwula.
Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
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 as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
27 Uthi uMtshumayeli, “Khangela, nanku esengikunanzelele: Ngihlanganisa lokhu lalokhu ngizama ukubona isimo sezinto
Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
28 ngilokhu ngisachwayisisa kodwa ngingatholi ngafumanisa indoda eyodwa elungileyo kwabayinkulungwane, kodwa ngitsho loyedwa umfazi oqondileyo kubo.
What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
29 Yilokhu kuphela esengikufumene: UNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu wabaqotho, kodwa abantu basuka bazenzele okwabo.”
Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
