UmTshumayeli 7
1 Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamafutha amahle; losuku lokufa kulosuku lokuzalwa kwakhe.
A good reputation is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
2 Kungcono ukuya endlini yokulila kulokuya endlini yedili; ngoba lokhu kuyisiphetho sakhe wonke umuntu; lophilayo uzakubeka enhliziyweni yakhe.
It's better to go to a funeral than to a party. In the end, everyone dies, and those who are still alive should think about it.
3 Usizi lungcono kulohleko, ngoba ngokudana kobuso inhliziyo yenziwa ngcono.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for tragedy helps us by making us think.
4 Inhliziyo yabahlakaniphileyo isendlini yokulila, kodwa inhliziyo yezithutha isendlini yentokozo.
Wise people think about the impact of death, while those who are fools only think about having a good time.
5 Kungcono ukuzwa ukukhuza kohlakaniphileyo kulokuthi umuntu ezwe ingoma yezithutha.
It's better to listen to criticism from a wise person than to hear the song of fools.
6 Ngoba njengokuchachamba kwameva ngaphansi kwembiza lunjalo uhleko lwesithutha. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
The laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorn twigs burning under a pot—without sense and quickly over.
7 Isibili ucindezelo lwenza ohlakaniphileyo abe luhlanya, lesipho siyayichitha inhliziyo.
Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.
8 Singcono isiphetho sento kulokuqala kwayo; kungcono ukubekezela komoya kulokuziphakamisa komoya.
Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.
9 Ungaphangisi emoyeni wakho ukuthukuthela, ngoba ukuthukuthela kuhlala esifubeni sezithutha.
Don't be quick to get angry, for anger controls the minds of fools.
10 Ungatsho ukuthi: Kwenziwa yini ukuthi insuku zakuqala zibe ngcono kulalezi? Ngoba kawubuzi ngenhlakanipho ngalokhu.
Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.
11 Inhlakanipho yinhle ilelifa, njalo kulenzuzo kwabalibonayo ilanga.
Wisdom is good—it's like receiving an inheritance. It benefits everyone in life.
12 Ngoba inhlakanipho iyisivikelo, imali iyisivikelo; kodwa ubungcono bolwazi yikuthi lunika impilo kubaninilo.
For wisdom provides security, as does money, but the advantage for those who have wisdom is that they are kept safe and sound!
13 Nakana umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu; ngoba ngubani olakho ukwelula akugobisileyo?
Think about what God does. If he makes something bent, you can't straighten it!
14 Thokoza ngosuku lokuphumelela, kodwa ngosuku lobubi nakana: UNkulunkulu ulwenzile lalolu lwaba njengalolo, ukuze umuntu angatholi lutho oluzakuba khona emva kwakhe.
On a good day, be happy. When a bad day comes, stop and think. God made each day, so you don't know what will happen to you next.
15 Konke ngikubonile ensukwini zokuyize kwami: Kukhona olungileyo obhubhela ekulungeni kwakhe, njalo kukhona omubi owelula impilo yakhe ebubini bakhe.
Throughout my life I've seen so much that is hard to understand. Good people who die young despite doing what is right, and wicked people who live long evil lives.
16 Ungabi ngolungileyo ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungahlakaniphi okwedlulisileyo; uzichithelani?
Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?
17 Ungabi ngomubi ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungabi yisiwula; uzafelani kungakabi yisikhathi sakho?
On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why die before your time?
18 Kuhle ukuthi ubambelele kulokhu, yebo, ungabuyisi isandla sakho lakulokho; ngoba omesabayo uNkulunkulu uzaphepha kukho konke.
You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.
19 Inhlakanipho iyamqinisa ohlakaniphileyo okwedlula ababusi abalitshumi abasemzini.
Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.
20 Ngoba kakulamuntu olungileyo emhlabeni owenza okuhle angoni.
There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.
21 Futhi ungabeki inhliziyo yakho emazwini wonke akhulunywayo, ukuze ungezwa ukuthi inceku yakho iyakuthuka.
Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,
22 Ngoba ngezikhathi ezinengi lenhliziyo yakho iyakwazi ukuthi lawe uqobo ubathukile abanye.
for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!
23 Konke lokhu ngikuhlolile ngenhlakanipho, ngathi: Ngizahlakanipha; kodwa kwakukhatshana lami.
I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.
24 Okukhatshana, lokujule kakhulu, ngubani ozakufumana?
Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
25 Ngaphenduka mina lenhliziyo yami ukwazi lokuhlola lokudinga inhlakanipho, lesizatho sezinto, lokwazi inkohlakalo yobuwula, lobuthutha bobuhlanya.
I turned my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.
26 Ngasengithola okubaba kulokufa: Owesifazana onhliziyo yakhe iyimijibila lamambule, lezandla zakhe ziyizibopho. Olungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu uzaphepha kuye, kodwa isoni sizabanjwa nguye.
I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.
27 Khangela, yilokhu engikutholileyo, utsho umTshumayeli, ngibeka okunye kokunye, ukuthola isizatho sezinto,
This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.
28 umphefumulo wami osasidinga kodwa kangisitholanga. Indoda eyodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane ngayithola, kodwa owesifazana phakathi kwabo bonke labo kangimtholanga.
Although I really searched, I didn't find what I was looking for. People say, “I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman.”
29 Khangela, yilokhu kuphela engikutholileyo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu waqonda; kodwa bona sebedinge amacebo amanengi.
But I did find this one thing: God made people to do what's right, but they have followed their own ideas.
