Amahubo 49
1 Zwanini lokhu lonke bantu. Bekani indlebe lonke bakhileyo bomhlaba,
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
2 bonke abantukazana labaphakemeyo, abanothileyo labayanga, ndawonye.
both low and high, rich and poor alike.
3 Umlomo wami uzakhuluma izinhlakanipho, lokuzindla kwenhliziyo yami kuzakuba yikuqedisisa.
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4 Ngizabeka indlebe yami kuso isaga, ngizavula ilibho lami ngechacho.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
5 Ngizakwesabelani ensukwini zobubi, nxa ububi babagwenxi bami buzangihanqa.
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
6 Abathemba ingcebo yabo, abazincoma ngobunengi benotho yabo,
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
7 umuntu kasoze ahlenge lokuhlenga umfowabo, kasoze amnike uNkulunkulu inhlawulo yakhe,
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
8 (ngoba uhlengo lomphefumulo wabo luligugu, futhi luyaphela laphakade)
For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
9 ukuze ahlale ephila phakade, angaboni ukubola.
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
10 Ngoba ubona ukuthi abahlakaniphileyo bayafa, lokuthi isithutha kanye lesiphukuphuku bayabhubha, batshiyele inotho yabo abanye.
For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Umcabango wabo wangaphakathi uyikuthi izindlu zabo zizakuba ngezaphakade, izindawo zabo zokuhlala zibe ngezezizukulwana, babize amazwe ngamabizo abo.
Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
12 Kodwa umuntu elodumo kayikuma, uyafanana lenyamazana ezibhubhayo.
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 Le indlela yabo iyibuthutha babo; kube kanti ababalandelayo bathokoza ngomlomo wabo. (Sela)
This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings.
14 Njengezimvu bamiselwe ingcwaba, ukufa kuzabelusa; labaqotho bazababusa ekuseni, isimo sabo ngesokuqedwa lingcwaba ukuze bangabi lendawo yokuhlala. (Sheol h7585)
Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. (Sheol h7585)
15 Kodwa uNkulunkulu uzahlenga umphefumulo wami emandleni engcwaba, ngoba uzangemukela. (Sela) (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. (Sheol h7585)
16 Ungesabi nxa umuntu enotha, nxa udumo lwendlu yakhe lusanda;
Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
17 ngoba ekufeni kwakhe kayikuthatha lutho, udumo lwakhe kaluyikwehla lumlandele.
For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
18 Lanxa empilweni yakhe wabusisa umphefumulo wakhe, njalo bakudumisa nxa uzenzela okuhle,
Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
19 uzakuya esizukulwaneni saboyise, kabayikubona ukukhanya kuze kube phakade.
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
20 Umuntu olodumo, engaqedisisi, unjengezinyamazana ezibhubhayo.
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
