UmTshumayeli 9
1 Yikho ngakucabanga konke lokhu ngabona ukuthi abalungileyo labahlakaniphileyo labakwenzayo kusezandleni zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa kakho owaziyo ingabe ulindelwe luthando langabe yinzondo.
All these things have I considered in my heart, that I might carefully understand them: there are just men and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God: and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred:
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.
But all things are kept uncertain for the time to come, because all things equally happen to the just and to the wicked, to the good and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, and to him that despiseth sacrifices. As the good is, so also is the sinner: as the perjured, so he also that sweareth truth.
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 a very great evil among all things that are done under the sun, that the same things happen to all men: whereby also the hearts of the children of men are filled with evil, and with contempt while they live, and afterwards they shall be brought down to hell. (questioned)
4 Loba ngubani olethemba nxa esahlezi kwabaphilayo, yebo kambe phela inja ephilayo ingcono kulesilwane esifileyo!
There is no man that liveth always, or that hopeth for this: 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 nothing more, neither have they a reward any more: 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 are all perished, neither have they any part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun.
7 Hamba nje uyezidlela ukudla kwakho uchelesile, unathe iwayini lakho ngenhliziyo emhlophe, ngoba uNkulunkulu usakuvumele okwamanje.
Go then, and eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with gladness: because thy works please God.
8 Gqoka ezimhlophe ngezikhathi zonke, ugcobe ikhanda lakho ngamafutha.
At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oil depart from thy head.
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.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy unsteady life, which are given to thee under the sun, all the time of thy vanity: for this is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherewith thou labourest under the sun.
10 Lokho isandla sakho esingakwenza kwenze ngamandla akho wonke, ngoba engcwabeni lapho oya khona akusetshenzwa, akulakulungiselela, kakulalwazi kumbe ukuhlakanipha. (Sheol h7585)
Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening. (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 turned me to another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skillful: but time and chance in 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.
Man knoweth not his own end: but as fishes are taken with the hook, and as birds are caught with the snare, so men are taken in the evil time, when it shall suddenly come upon them.
13 Ngaphinda ngabona ngaphansi kwelanga lesisibonelo sokuhlakanipha esagxila engqondweni yami:
This wisdom also I have seen under the sun, and it seemed to me to be very great:
14 Kwake kwaba khona idolobho elincinyane elalilabantu abalutshwana kulo. Kwasuka inkosi elamandla yalihlasela, yalihonqolozela yakha amadundulu amakhulu okuvimbezela.
A little city, and few men in it: there came against it a great king, and invested it, and built bulwarks round about it, and the siege was perfect.
15 Kulelodolobho kwakuhlala indoda ethile engesulutho kodwa ihlakaniphile, ngakho yawusindisa umuzi lowo ngokuhlakanipha kwayo. Kodwa kakho loyedwa owaphinde wayikhumbula leyondoda eyayingebani.
Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembered that poor man.
16 Yikho-ke ngasengisithi, “Ukuhlakanipha kungcono kulamandla.” Kodwa ukuhlakanipha komuntukazana kuyeyiswa lamazwi akhe akasanakwa.
And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard?
17 Amazwi apholileyo abahlakaniphileyo afanele alalelwe ngcono kulokumemeza kombusi weziwula.
The words of the wise are heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools.
18 Ukuhlakanipha kungcono kulezikhali zempi, umoni oyedwa uyabuchitha bonke ubuhle.
Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things.
