Mlaliki 12
1 Uzikumbukira mlengi wako masiku a unyamata wako, masiku oyipa asanafike, nthawi isanafike pamene udzanena kuti, “Izi sizikundikondweretsa.”
And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 Nthawi ya ukalamba wako, dzuwa ndi kuwala, mwezi ndi nyenyezi zidzada. Mitambo idzabweranso mvula itagwa.
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 Nthawi imene manja ako adzanjenjemera, miyendo yako idzafowoka, pamene mano ako adzalephera kutafuna chifukwa ndi owerengeka, ndipo maso ako adzayamba kuchita chidima.
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
4 Makutu ako adzatsekeka, ndipo sudzamva phokoso lakunja; sudzamvanso kusinja kwa pa mtondo kapena kulira kwa mbalame mmawa.
and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 Imeneyi ndiyo nthawi imene anthu amaopa kupita kumalo okwera, amaopa kuyenda mʼmisewu; Mutu umatuwa kuti mbuu, amayenda modzikoka ngati ziwala ndipo chilakolako chimatheratu. Nthawi imeneyo munthu amapita ku nyumba yake yamuyaya ndipo anthu olira maliro amayendayenda mʼmisewu.
they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets; )
6 Kumbukira Iye chingwe cha siliva chisanaduke, kapena mbale yagolide isanasweke; mtsuko usanasweke ku kasupe, kapena mkombero usanathyoke ku chitsime.
— before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;
7 Iyi ndi nthawi imene thupi lidzabwerera ku dothi, kumene linachokera, mzimu udzabwerera kwa Mulungu amene anawupereka.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8 “Zopanda phindu! Zopandapake!” akutero Mlaliki. “Zonse ndi zopandapake!”
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.
9 Mlaliki sanali wozindikira zinthu kokha ayi, komanso ankaphunzitsa anthu. Iye ankasinkhasinkha ndi kufufuzafufuza ndi kulemba mwadongosolo miyambi yambiri.
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 Mlaliki anafufuzafufuza kuti apeze mawu oyenera, ndipo zimene analemba zinali zolondola ndiponso zoona.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.
11 Mawu a anthu anzeru ali ngati zisonga, zokamba zawo zimene anasonkhanitsa zili ngati misomali yokhomera, yoperekedwa ndi mʼbusa mmodzi.
The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
12 Samalira mwana wanga, za kuwonjezera chilichonse pa zimenezi. Kulemba mabuku ambiri sikutha, ndipo kuphunzira kwambiri kumatopetsa thupi.
And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Basi zonse zamveka; mathero a nkhaniyi ndi awa: uziopa Mulungu ndi kusunga malamulo ake, pakuti umenewu ndiwo udindo wa anthu onse.
Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
14 Pakuti Mulungu adzaweruza zochita zonse, kuphatikizanso zinthu zonse zobisika, kaya zabwino kapena zoyipa.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
