UmTshumayeli 12
1 Khumbula-ke uMdali wakho ensukwini zobutsha bakho zingakafiki insuku ezimbi, kumbe kusondele iminyaka, lapho ozakuthi: Kangilantokozo ngayo.
Remember your Creator while you are young, before days of trouble come and you grow old, saying, “I'm not enjoying life anymore.”
2 Kungakafiphali ilanga lokukhanya lenyanga lezinkanyezi, kumbe amayezi abuyele emva kwezulu.
Before the light fades—sun, moon, and stars—and rain clouds return to darken the skies.
3 Ngosuku lapho abagcini bendlu bezathuthumela, lamadoda alamandla akhokhobe, labacholayo beme ngoba bebalutshwana, lalabo abalunguza ngamawindi bafiphazeke,
Before the guards of the house tremble and the strong men are bent over, the grinders stop working because there are only a few left, and the ones looking through the windows only see dimly,
4 lezivalo zivalwe esitaladini, lapho umsindo wokuchola usuncipha, lapho ezavuka ekukhaleni kwenyoni, lamadodakazi wonke engoma ezathotshiswa,
and the doors to the street are shut. Before the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and you wake up early when the birds are singing, but you can hardly hear them.
5 lalapho bezakwesaba okuphakemeyo lezesabiso endleleni, lapho isihlahla se-alimondi sesilempoko, lentothoviyane izakuba ngumthwalo kuyo, lesiloyiso sizaphela. Ngoba umuntu uya ekhaya lakhe elilaphakade, labalilayo bazazulazula esitaladeni.
Before you develop a fear of heights and worry about going out on the streets; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper crawls along, and desire fails, for everyone has to go to their eternal home as the mourners go up and down the street.
6 Kungakathukululwa intambo yesiliva, lomganu wegolide uphahlazwe, lembiza iphahlazeke emthonjeni, lendirayo yephuke emgodini wamanzi,
Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken; before the water jug is smashed at the spring, or the pulley is broken at the well.
7 lothuli lubuyele emhlabathini njengoba lwalunjalo, lomoya ubuyela kuNkulunkulu owawunikayo.
Then the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the breath of life returns to God who gave it.
8 Ize leze, kutsho umTshumayeli, konke kuyize.
“Everything passes! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
9 Phezu kwalokho-ke, ngoba umTshumayeli wayehlakaniphile, wayelokhu efundisa abantu ulwazi, yebo wazindla, wadingisisa, wamisa kuhle izaga ezinengi.
Not only was the Teacher a wise man, he also taught what he knew to others. He thought about many proverbs, studying them and arranging them.
10 UmTshumayeli wadinga ukuthola amazwi akholisisayo, lokwabhalwayo kwakuqondile, amazwi eqiniso.
The Teacher looked for the best way to explain things, writing truthfully and honestly.
11 Amazwi abahlakaniphileyo anjengezincijo, lanjengezipikili ezibethelwe zatshona, amakhosi emihlangano, enikwa ngumelusi munye.
The words of the wise are like cattle prods. Their collected sayings are like nails driven home, given by one shepherd.
12 Phezu kwalokho-ke, ndodana yami, xwayiseka: Ekwenzeni ingwalo ezinengi kakulasiphelo, lokufunda okunengi kuyikudinisa inyama.
In addition, my student, take care, for there's no end to book writing, and too much study wears you out.
13 Isiphetho sodaba konke sekuzwakele yilesi: Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imilayo yakhe; ngoba lokho yimfanelo yonke yomuntu.
To sum up now that everything has been discussed: Respect God by keeping his commandments, for that's what everyone should do.
14 Ngoba uNkulunkulu uzaletha wonke umsebenzi kusahlulelo, layo yonke into efihliweyo, loba kuhle laloba kubi.
God is going to judge us for everything we do, including what we do secretly, whether good or bad.
