UmTshumayeli 8
1 Ngubani onjengomuntu ohlakaniphileyo na? Ngubani oyaziyo ingcazelo yezinto na? Ukuhlakanipha kuyabukhanyisa ubuso bomuntu njalo kuguqula ukunyukubala kwabo.
The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and the most mighty will change his face.
2 Ngithi hlonipha umlayo wenkosi ngoba wenza isifungo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
I observe the mouth of the king, and the commandments of the oath of God.
3 Ungawalazeli ukusuka phambi kwenkosi. Ungalumeli ulutho nxa lungaqondanga ngoba yona ingenza loba yini eyithandayo.
Be not hasty to depart from his face, and do not continue in an evil work: for he will do all that pleaseth him:
4 Njengoba ilizwi lenkosi lingaphikiswa ngubani ongathi kuyo, “Kanti wenzani?”
And his word is full of power: neither can any man say to him: Why dost thou so?
5 Lowo ohlonipha imilayo yayo akayikwehlelwa ngokubi, lenhliziyo ehlakaniphileyo iyasazi isikhathi lendlela yokwenza.
He that keepeth the commandments shall find no evil. The heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.
6 Ngoba into yonke ilesikhathi esiqondileyo lendlela yokwenza eqondileyo, lanxa umuntu eyabe esindwa yizinkathazo zakhe.
There is a time and opportunity for every business, and great affliction for man:
7 Njengoba kungekho muntu olaziyo ikusasa, ngubani pho ongamtshela okuzayo na?
Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot know by any messenger.
8 Njengoba kungelamuntu olamandla phezu komoyo ovunguzayo Akulamuntu olamandla phezu kosuku lwakhe lokufa. Njengoba ibutho lingakhululwa ngesikhathi sempi, kunjalo ukuxhwala akuyikubakhulula labo abaphila ngakho.
It is not in man’s power to stop the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, neither is he suffered to rest when war is at hand, neither shall wickedness save the wicked.
9 Konke lokhu ngakubona lapho ngangihlolisisa ngengqondo yami konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga. Kukhona isikhathi lapho umuntu aphatha khona abanye ngochuku kanti uyazilimaza yena.
All these things I have considered, and applied my heart to all the works that are done under the sun. Sometimes one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
10 Ngabona njalo ababi bengcwatshwa, labo ababehlala befika bahambe endaweni engcwele bazuze udumo kulelodolobho ababeganga khona. Khona lakho kuyize.
I saw the wicked buried: who also when they were yet living were in the holy place, and were praised in the city as men of just works: but this also is vanity.
11 Nxa isigwebo secala singenziwanga masinyane, abantu basuka bacabange ukuqhubeka ngokuganga kwabo.
For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.
12 Loba umuntu ogangileyo engenza amacala alikhulu ajinge aphile okwesikhathi eside, ngiyazi ukuthi kuzakuba ngcono kulabo abamesabayo uNkulunkulu, abazithobayo kuNkulunkulu.
But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his face.
13 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi izixhwali kazimesabi uNkulunkulu, kakuzukuzilungela, lezinsuku zazo kaziyukweluleka njengesithunzi.
But let it not be well with the wicked, neither let his days be prolonged, but as a shadow let them pass away that fear not the face of the Lord.
14 Kukhona njalo enye into eyize eyenzakalayo emhlabeni: abantu abalungileyo abazuza okufanele ababi, labantu ababi abazuza okufanele abalungileyo. Ngithi lokhu lakho kudida ingqondo.
There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are just men to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the wicked: and there are wicked men, who are as secure, as though they had the deeds of the just: but this also I judge most vain.
15 Ngakho-ke ngikhuthaza ukuzithokozisa empilweni ngoba kakukho okungcono emuntwini ngaphansi kwelanga kulokuzitika, unathe, uthokoze. Lapho-ke injabulo izahlala injalo kuye emsebenzini wakhe zonke insuku zokuphila kwakhe aziphiwe nguNkulunkulu lapha emhlabeni.
Therefore I commended mirth, because there was no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry, and that he should take nothing else with him of his labour in the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.
16 Ngathi ngibeka ingqondo yami ekwazini ukuhlakanipha lokunanzelela imisebenzi yabantu emhlabeni, umuntu engalali imini lobusuku,
And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to understand the distraction that is upon earth: for there are some that day and night take no sleep with their eyes.
17 ngasengibona konke uNkulunkulu akwenzileyo. Kakho ongaqedisisa okwenzakalayo ngaphansi kwelanga. Loba umuntu ohlakaniphileyo angazitshaya owaziyo, kodwa angeke akuqedisise.
And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun: and the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall he find: yea, though the wise man shall say, that he knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it.
