UmTshumayeli 5
1 Gcina unyawo lwakho nxa usiya endlini kaNkulunkulu; sondelela ukulalela kulokunikela umhlatshelo wezithutha, ngoba kazazi ukuthi zenza okubi.
Guard your foot, when you step into the house of God, and draw near, so that you may listen. For obedience is much better than the sacrifices of the foolish, who do not know the evil that they are doing.
2 Ungabi lamawala ngomlomo wakho, lenhliziyo yakho ingaphangisi ukukhupha ilizwi phambi kukaNkulunkulu; ngoba uNkulunkulu usemazulwini, wena-ke usemhlabeni, ngakho amazwi akho kawabe malutshwana.
You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
3 Ngoba iphupho liza ngobunengi bomsebenzi, lelizwi lesithutha ngobunengi bamazwi.
Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
4 Lapho ufunga isifungo kuNkulunkulu, ungaphuzi ukusikhokha, ngoba kakulantokozo kuziwula; khokha lokho okufungileyo.
If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
5 Kungcono ukuthi ungafungi kulokuthi ufunge ungakhokhi.
And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
6 Ungavumeli umlomo wakho ukuthi wenze inyama yakho yone, futhi ungatsho phambi kwengilosi ukuthi bekuyisiphosiso; uNkulunkulu uzathukuthelelani ilizwi lakho, achithe umsebenzi wezandla zakho?
You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
7 Ngoba ebunengini bamaphupho lamazwi kukhona lokuyize okunengi, kodwa mesabe uNkulunkulu.
Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
8 Uba ubona ucindezelo lomyanga lokuphanjulwa kokulunga lesahlulelo ngodlakela esabelweni, ungamangali ngalinto, ngoba ophezulu kophezulu uyananzelela, njalo kulabaphezulu phezu kwabo.
If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
9 Lenzuzo yomhlabathi ngeyabo bonke; inkosi isetshenzelwa yinsimu.
But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
10 Othanda imali kayikweneliswa yimali, njalo othanda okunengi kayikweneliswa yikwanda; lokhu lakho kuyize.
A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
11 Ekwandeni kokuhle, bayanda abakudlayo; njalo kulenzuzo bani kubanini bakho, ngaphandle kokukubuka ngamehlo abo?
Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
12 Bumnandi ubuthongo besisebenzi loba sisidla okulutshwana loba okunengi; kodwa ukusutha kwesinothi kakusivumeli ukulala.
Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
13 Kukhona ububi obubuhlungu esengibubonile ngaphansi kwelanga: Inotho egcinelwe abaniniyo kube yibubi kibo.
There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
14 Kodwa leyonotho ichitheka ngomsebenzi omubi: Esezala umntwana, kungaselalutho esandleni sakhe.
For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
15 Njengokuphuma kwakhe esiswini sikanina, uzabuyela eze ehamba njengokuza kwakhe; njalo kayikuthatha lutho lomtshikatshika wakhe angahamba lalo esandleni sakhe.
Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
16 Lokhu lakho kuyibubi obubuhlungu, kukho konke njengokufika kwakhe ngokunjalo uzahamba. Njalo ulenzuzo bani owatshikatshikela umoya?
It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
17 Njalo insuku zakhe zonke udlela emnyameni, elosizi olukhulu, lomkhuhlane wakhe, lokuthukuthela?
All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
18 Khangela, engikubonileyo mina, kulungile okuhle ukudla lokunatha lokubona okuhle emtshikatshikeni wakhe wonke awutshikatshikayo ngaphansi kwelanga, enanini lensuku zempilo yakhe uNkulunkulu amnike zona, ngoba kuyisabelo sakhe.
And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
19 Laye wonke umuntu, uNkulunkulu amnike inotho lengcebo, wamnika amandla okudla kukho, lokuthatha isabelo sakhe, lokuthokoza emtshikatshikeni wakhe - lokhu kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu.
And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
20 Ngoba kayikukhumbula kakhulu insuku zempilo yakhe, ngoba uNkulunkulu umphendula ngentokozo yenhliziyo yakhe.
And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.
