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 great on 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.
[There is many] a man to whom God hath given riches, property, and honor, and nothing is wanting for his soul of all that he longeth for: yet God empowereth him not to eat thereof, but a stranger will consume 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 were to beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years were many, and his soul were not satisfied with what is good, and he have not had even a burial: then do I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 Ngoba uza ngeze, uye emnyameni, lebizo lawo lisitshekelwe emnyameni;
For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.
5 futhi kawulibonanga ilanga, kawulalwazi; lo ulokuphumula kulaye.
Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: 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 were to live a thousand years twice told, and had not seen any good— doth not every one go to one place?
7 Wonke umtshikatshika womuntu ngowomlomo wakhe, kube kanti inkanuko kayisuthi.
All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never 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 [properly] before the living?
9 Kungcono ukubona kwamehlo kulokuzulazula kwenkanuko. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
Better is what one seeth with the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
10 Osekukhona sekuke kwathiwa ibizo lakho, njalo kuyaziwa ukuthi kungumuntu, lokuthi kalakho ukuphikisana lolamandla kulaye.
That which hath been is already called by its name, and it is known that he is a man: and he is not able to contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Ngoba zinengi izinto ezandisa ize; kuyinzuzo bani emuntwini?
For there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?
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, the number of the days of his vain life, that he should spend them as a shadow? for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
