Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamafutha amahle; losuku lokufa kulosuku lokuzalwa kwakhe.
2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
Kungcono ukuya endlini yokulila kulokuya endlini yedili; ngoba lokhu kuyisiphetho sakhe wonke umuntu; lophilayo uzakubeka enhliziyweni yakhe.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
Usizi lungcono kulohleko, ngoba ngokudana kobuso inhliziyo yenziwa ngcono.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Inhliziyo yabahlakaniphileyo isendlini yokulila, kodwa inhliziyo yezithutha isendlini yentokozo.
5 [It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Kungcono ukuzwa ukukhuza kohlakaniphileyo kulokuthi umuntu ezwe ingoma yezithutha.
6 As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
Ngoba njengokuchachamba kwameva ngaphansi kwembiza lunjalo uhleko lwesithutha. Lokhu lakho kuyize.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
Isibili ucindezelo lwenza ohlakaniphileyo abe luhlanya, lesipho siyayichitha inhliziyo.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
Singcono isiphetho sento kulokuqala kwayo; kungcono ukubekezela komoya kulokuziphakamisa komoya.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Ungaphangisi emoyeni wakho ukuthukuthela, ngoba ukuthukuthela kuhlala esifubeni sezithutha.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
Ungatsho ukuthi: Kwenziwa yini ukuthi insuku zakuqala zibe ngcono kulalezi? Ngoba kawubuzi ngenhlakanipho ngalokhu.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Inhlakanipho yinhle ilelifa, njalo kulenzuzo kwabalibonayo ilanga.
12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
Ngoba inhlakanipho iyisivikelo, imali iyisivikelo; kodwa ubungcono bolwazi yikuthi lunika impilo kubaninilo.
13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Nakana umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu; ngoba ngubani olakho ukwelula akugobisileyo?
14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
Thokoza ngosuku lokuphumelela, kodwa ngosuku lobubi nakana: UNkulunkulu ulwenzile lalolu lwaba njengalolo, ukuze umuntu angatholi lutho oluzakuba khona emva kwakhe.
15 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
Konke ngikubonile ensukwini zokuyize kwami: Kukhona olungileyo obhubhela ekulungeni kwakhe, njalo kukhona omubi owelula impilo yakhe ebubini bakhe.
16 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.
Ungabi ngolungileyo ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungahlakaniphi okwedlulisileyo; uzichithelani?
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.
Ungabi ngomubi ngokudlulisayo, futhi ungabi yisiwula; uzafelani kungakabi yisikhathi sakho?
18 It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
Kuhle ukuthi ubambelele kulokhu, yebo, ungabuyisi isandla sakho lakulokho; ngoba omesabayo uNkulunkulu uzaphepha kukho konke.
19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Inhlakanipho iyamqinisa ohlakaniphileyo okwedlula ababusi abalitshumi abasemzini.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
Ngoba kakulamuntu olungileyo emhlabeni owenza okuhle angoni.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Futhi ungabeki inhliziyo yakho emazwini wonke akhulunywayo, ukuze ungezwa ukuthi inceku yakho iyakuthuka.
22 For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
Ngoba ngezikhathi ezinengi lenhliziyo yakho iyakwazi ukuthi lawe uqobo ubathukile abanye.
23 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Konke lokhu ngikuhlolile ngenhlakanipho, ngathi: Ngizahlakanipha; kodwa kwakukhatshana lami.
24 [That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
Okukhatshana, lokujule kakhulu, ngubani ozakufumana?
25 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
Ngaphenduka mina lenhliziyo yami ukwazi lokuhlola lokudinga inhlakanipho, lesizatho sezinto, lokwazi inkohlakalo yobuwula, lobuthutha bobuhlanya.
26 And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
Ngasengithola okubaba kulokufa: Owesifazana onhliziyo yakhe iyimijibila lamambule, lezandla zakhe ziyizibopho. Olungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu uzaphepha kuye, kodwa isoni sizabanjwa nguye.
27 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
Khangela, yilokhu engikutholileyo, utsho umTshumayeli, ngibeka okunye kokunye, ukuthola isizatho sezinto,
28 which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
umphefumulo wami osasidinga kodwa kangisitholanga. Indoda eyodwa phakathi kwenkulungwane ngayithola, kodwa owesifazana phakathi kwabo bonke labo kangimtholanga.
29 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Khangela, yilokhu kuphela engikutholileyo, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu waqonda; kodwa bona sebedinge amacebo amanengi.
