UmTshumayeli 9
1 Yikho ngakucabanga konke lokhu ngabona ukuthi abalungileyo labahlakaniphileyo labakwenzayo kusezandleni zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa kakho owaziyo ingabe ulindelwe luthando langabe yinzondo.
For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.
2 Bonke balesiphetho sinye, abaqondileyo labaxhwalileyo, abalungileyo lababi, abahlambulukileyo labangcolileyo, abenza imihlatshelo labangayenziyo. Njengoba kunjalo emuntwini olungileyo, kunjalo lakoyisoni; njengoba kunjalo kwabenza izifungo, kunjalo lakulabo abesaba ukuzenza.
All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
3 Lobu yibo ububi obuvelela zonke izinto ngaphansi kwelanga: Konke kulesiphetho sinye. Njalo inhliziyo zabantu zigcwele izibozi futhi kulokubheda phakathi kwazo nxa besaphila, ikanti emva kwakho konke baya kwabafileyo.
This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.
4 Loba ngubani olethemba nxa esahlezi kwabaphilayo, yebo kambe phela inja ephilayo ingcono kulesilwane esifileyo!
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Ngoba abaphilayo bayakwazi ukuthi bazakufa, kodwa abafileyo kabazi lutho; kabaselawo omunye umvuzo, ngitsho lokukhumbula ngabo kuyaphela.
For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Uthando lwabo, inzondo yabo lomona wabo sekwedlula nya; nini lanini kabasayikuba lengxenye loba kukuphi okwenzakalayo ngaphansi kwelanga.
Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.
7 Hamba nje uyezidlela ukudla kwakho uchelesile, unathe iwayini lakho ngenhliziyo emhlophe, ngoba uNkulunkulu usakuvumele okwamanje.
Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
8 Gqoka ezimhlophe ngezikhathi zonke, ugcobe ikhanda lakho ngamafutha.
Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
9 Kholisa impilo lomfazi wakho omthandayo kuzozonke insuku zale impilo eyize uNkulunkulu akunike yona ngaphansi kwelanga, zonke insuku zakho eziyize. Phela lesi yiso isabelo sakho empilweni phakathi kokutshikatshika kwakho ngaphansi kwelanga.
Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.
10 Lokho isandla sakho esingakwenza kwenze ngamandla akho wonke, ngoba engcwabeni lapho oya khona akusetshenzwa, akulakulungiselela, kakulalwazi kumbe ukuhlakanipha. (Sheol h7585)
Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)
11 Ngikubonile okunye njalo ngaphansi kwelanga: Ukutshiya abanye kakuyi ngesiqubu kumbe ukunqoba impi kuye ngamandla; kakutsho ukuthi ukudla kuya kwabahlakaniphileyo kumbe inotho kwabakhaliphileyo loba okuhle kwehlele abafundileyo; kodwa kuya ngesikhathi langenhlanhla kubani lobani.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12 Futhi kakho owaziyo ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sizafika nini: Njengezinhlanzi ezigolwa kabuhlungu ngamambule loba izinyoni zibanjwa esifini, kanjalo abantu bafikelwa yizikhathi ezimbi ezibafikela belibele.
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13 Ngaphinda ngabona ngaphansi kwelanga lesisibonelo sokuhlakanipha esagxila engqondweni yami:
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
14 Kwake kwaba khona idolobho elincinyane elalilabantu abalutshwana kulo. Kwasuka inkosi elamandla yalihlasela, yalihonqolozela yakha amadundulu amakhulu okuvimbezela.
There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15 Kulelodolobho kwakuhlala indoda ethile engesulutho kodwa ihlakaniphile, ngakho yawusindisa umuzi lowo ngokuhlakanipha kwayo. Kodwa kakho loyedwa owaphinde wayikhumbula leyondoda eyayingebani.
and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
16 Yikho-ke ngasengisithi, “Ukuhlakanipha kungcono kulamandla.” Kodwa ukuhlakanipha komuntukazana kuyeyiswa lamazwi akhe akasanakwa.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 Amazwi apholileyo abahlakaniphileyo afanele alalelwe ngcono kulokumemeza kombusi weziwula.
The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18 Ukuhlakanipha kungcono kulezikhali zempi, umoni oyedwa uyabuchitha bonke ubuhle.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
