UmTshumayeli 4
1 Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona incindezelo zonke ezenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke inyembezi zabacindezelweyo, njalo babengelamduduzi; lehlangothini lwababacindezelayo kwakulamandla, kodwa babengelamduduzi.
And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.
2 Ngakho ngancoma abafileyo, abavele sebefile, okwedlula abaphilayo, abalokhu besaphila.
And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
3 Yebo ungcono kulabo bobabili, ongakabi khona, ongabonanga umsebenzi omubi owenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga.
And better than both of them [is] he who has not yet been, in that he has not seen the evil work that has been done under the sun.
4 Ngasengibona mina wonke umtshikatshika lempumelelo yonke yomsebenzi, ngoba lokhu kungumhawu womuntu ovela kumakhelwane wakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
And I have seen all the labor, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbor. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.
5 Isiphukuphuku sigoqa izandla zaso sidle inyama yaso.
The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
6 Singcono isandla esigcwele ukuthula kulezandla ezimbili ezigcwele ukutshikatshika lokukhathazeka komoya.
“Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”
7 Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona ize ngaphansi kwelanga.
And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:
8 Kukhona oyedwa, njalo kakho owesibili, yebo kalamntwana kumbe umfowabo, njalo kakulakuphela komtshikatshika wakhe wonke, lelihlo lakhe kalisuthiswa yinotho, njalo katsho ukuthi: Ngitshikatshikela bani, ngenze umphefumulo wami uswele okuhle? Lokhu lakho kuyize, yebo, kungumsebenzi omubi.
There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he has not, and there is no end to all his labor! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he does not say], “For whom am I laboring and bereaving my soul of good?” This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.
9 Ababili bangcono kuloyedwa, ngoba balomvuzo omuhle ngokutshikatshika kwabo.
The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labor.
10 Ngoba uba besiwa omunye uzamvusa umngane wakhe; kodwa maye kuye oyedwa nxa esiwa, ngoba kungekho owesibili ongamvusa.
For if they fall, the one raises up his companion, but woe to the one who falls and there is not a second to raise him up!
11 Futhi uba ababili belala ndawonye, ngakho balokukhudumala; kodwa ngoyedwa angakhudumala njani?
Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how has one heat?
12 Njalo uba omunye engehlula oyedwa, ababili bazamelana laye; lentambo elemicu emithathu kayiqanyulwa masinyane.
And if the one strengthens himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Umfana ongumyanga ohlakaniphileyo ungcono kulenkosi endala eyisithutha engasakwazi ukwelulekwa.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who has not known to be warned anymore.
14 Ngoba uyaphuma entolongweni ukuthi abe yinkosi, lanxa futhi owayezelwe embusweni wakhe esiba ngumyanga.
For from a house of prisoners he has come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he has been poor.
15 Ngabona bonke abaphilayo abahamba ngaphansi kwelanga, lomfana wesibili ozakuma esikhundleni sakhe.
I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who stands in his place;
16 Kakulasiphetho sabantu bonke, sabo bonke ababephambi kwabo, lalabo abeza emva kabayikuthokoza ngaye. Isibili lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter do not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and distress of spirit.
