UmTshumayeli 11
1 Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kobuso bamanzi, ngoba uzasithola emva kwensuku ezinengi.
Cast thy bread upon the waters; for after many days thou shalt find it.
2 Nika isabelo kwabayisikhombisa, yebo, lakwabayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawazi ukuthi bubi bani obuzakuba emhlabeni.
Give a portion to seven, yea, to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 Uba amayezi egcwele izulu, ayalithululela emhlabeni; uba-ke isihlahla siwela ngeningizimu kumbe ngenyakatho, endaweni lapho isihlahla esiwela khona sizakuba khonapho.
When the clouds are full of rain, they empty upon the earth; and when a tree falleth to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 Onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela, lalowo okhangela amayezi kayikuvuna.
He that watcheth the wind will not sow, and he that gazeth upon the clouds will not reap.
5 Njengoba ungazi ukuthi iyini indlela yomoya, akhula njani amathambo esiswini sokhulelweyo, ngokunjalo kawazi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu owenza konke.
As thou knowest not the way of the wind, nor how the bones are formed in the womb of her that is with child, so thou canst not know the work of God, who doeth all things.
6 Hlanyela inhlanyelo yakho ekuseni, lantambama ungaphumuzi isandla sakho; ngoba kawazi ukuthi yiyiphi ezaphumelela, le kumbe leyana, loba zombili zizakuba zinhle ngokufananayo.
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand! For thou knowest not whether this shall prosper, or that, or whether both of them shall be alike good.
7 Sibili, ukukhanya kumnandi; njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.
8 Kodwa uba umuntu ephila iminyaka eminengi, kathokoze ngayo yonke; kodwa kakhumbule lensuku zomnyama, ngoba zizakuba zinengi. Konke okuzayo kuyize.
Yea, though a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him think of the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9 Thokoza, jaha, ebutsheni bakho, lenhliziyo yakho kayikuthokozise ensukwini zobutsha bakho, uhambe endleleni zenhliziyo yakho lekuboneni kwamehlo akho. Kodwa yazi ukuthi ngenxa yazo zonke izinto uNkulunkulu uzakuletha kusahlulelo.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes! but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
10 Ngakho susa ukudabuka enhliziyweni yakho, ukhuphe ububi enyameni yakho, ngoba ubutsha lobujaha buyize.
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy body! for childhood and youth are vanity.
