UmTshumayeli 11
1 Phosela isinkwa sakho phezu kobuso bamanzi, ngoba uzasithola emva kwensuku ezinengi.
Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.
2 Nika isabelo kwabayisikhombisa, yebo, lakwabayisificaminwembili, ngoba kawazi ukuthi bubi bani obuzakuba emhlabeni.
Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.
3 Uba amayezi egcwele izulu, ayalithululela emhlabeni; uba-ke isihlahla siwela ngeningizimu kumbe ngenyakatho, endaweni lapho isihlahla esiwela khona sizakuba khonapho.
If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.
4 Onanzelela umoya kayikuhlanyela, lalowo okhangela amayezi kayikuvuna.
He who observes the wind won’t sow; and he who regards the clouds won’t reap.
5 Njengoba ungazi ukuthi iyini indlela yomoya, akhula njani amathambo esiswini sokhulelweyo, ngokunjalo kawazi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu owenza konke.
As you don’t know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don’t know the work of God who does all.
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 your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.
7 Sibili, ukukhanya kumnandi; njalo kuhle emehlweni ukubona ilanga.
Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.
8 Kodwa uba umuntu ephila iminyaka eminengi, kathokoze ngayo yonke; kodwa kakhumbule lensuku zomnyama, ngoba zizakuba zinengi. Konke okuzayo kuyize.
Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes 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, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Ngakho susa ukudabuka enhliziyweni yakho, ukhuphe ububi enyameni yakho, ngoba ubutsha lobujaha buyize.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
