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 common among 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 Elohim hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet Elohim 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 an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that 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 he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 futhi kawulibonanga ilanga, kawulalwazi; lo ulokuphumula kulaye.
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest 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, yet hath he seen 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 hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9 Kungcono ukubona kwamehlo kulokuzulazula kwenkanuko. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 Osekukhona sekuke kwathiwa ibizo lakho, njalo kuyaziwa ukuthi kungumuntu, lokuthi kalakho ukuphikisana lolamandla kulaye.
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Ngoba zinengi izinto ezandisa ize; kuyinzuzo bani emuntwini?
Seeing there be many things 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 this 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?
