UmTshumayeli 6

1 Kukhona ububi esengibubonile ngaphansi kwelanga, njalo buvamile ebantwini:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

2 Umuntu uNkulunkulu amnike inotho lengcebo lodumo ukuze angasweleli umphefumulo wakhe ulutho kukho konke akufisayo, kodwa uNkulunkulu angamniki amandla ukuthi adle kukho, kodwa owemzini uyakudla; lokhu kuyize, njalo kuyisifo esibi.

a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 Uba umuntu ezala abantwana abalikhulu, aphile iminyaka eminengi, ukuze insuku zeminyaka yakhe zibe zinengi, kodwa umphefumulo wakhe ungasuthiswa ngokuhle, futhi angabi lakungcwatshwa, ngithi umphunzo ungcono kulaye.

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;

4 Ngoba uza ngeze, uye emnyameni, lebizo lawo lisitshekelwe emnyameni;

for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

5 futhi kawulibonanga ilanga, kawulalwazi; lo ulokuphumula kulaye.

moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;

6 Yebo, lanxa ephila iminyaka eyinkulungwane, ephindwe kabili, kanti engabonanga okuhle; bonke kabayi yini endaweni eyodwa?

yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?

7 Wonke umtshikatshika womuntu ngowomlomo wakhe, kube kanti inkanuko kayisuthi.

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8 Ngoba ohlakaniphileyo ulani okwedlula isithutha? Ulani umyanga owazi ukuhamba phambi kwabaphilayo?

For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?

9 Kungcono ukubona kwamehlo kulokuzulazula kwenkanuko. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.

Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

10 Osekukhona sekuke kwathiwa ibizo lakho, njalo kuyaziwa ukuthi kungumuntu, lokuthi kalakho ukuphikisana lolamandla kulaye.

Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.

11 Ngoba zinengi izinto ezandisa ize; kuyinzuzo bani emuntwini?

Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12 Ngoba ngubani okwaziyo okulungele umuntu empilweni, enanini lensuku zempilo yakhe eyize ayichitha njengesithunzi? Ngoba ngubani ongatshela umuntu lokho okuzakuba khona emva kwakhe ngaphansi kwelanga?

For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?