Ecclesiastes 4
1 And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona incindezelo zonke ezenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke inyembezi zabacindezelweyo, njalo babengelamduduzi; lehlangothini lwababacindezelayo kwakulamandla, kodwa babengelamduduzi.
2 And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
Ngakho ngancoma abafileyo, abavele sebefile, okwedlula abaphilayo, abalokhu besaphila.
3 And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.
Yebo ungcono kulabo bobabili, ongakabi khona, ongabonanga umsebenzi omubi owenziwa ngaphansi kwelanga.
4 And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ngasengibona mina wonke umtshikatshika lempumelelo yonke yomsebenzi, ngoba lokhu kungumhawu womuntu ovela kumakhelwane wakhe. Lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
5 The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
Isiphukuphuku sigoqa izandla zaso sidle inyama yaso.
6 'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'
Singcono isandla esigcwele ukuthula kulezandla ezimbili ezigcwele ukutshikatshika lokukhathazeka komoya.
7 And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:
Mina ngasengiphenduka ngabona ize ngaphansi kwelanga.
8 There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.
Kukhona oyedwa, njalo kakho owesibili, yebo kalamntwana kumbe umfowabo, njalo kakulakuphela komtshikatshika wakhe wonke, lelihlo lakhe kalisuthiswa yinotho, njalo katsho ukuthi: Ngitshikatshikela bani, ngenze umphefumulo wami uswele okuhle? Lokhu lakho kuyize, yebo, kungumsebenzi omubi.
9 The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.
Ababili bangcono kuloyedwa, ngoba balomvuzo omuhle ngokutshikatshika kwabo.
10 For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!
Ngoba uba besiwa omunye uzamvusa umngane wakhe; kodwa maye kuye oyedwa nxa esiwa, ngoba kungekho owesibili ongamvusa.
11 Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how hath one heat?
Futhi uba ababili belala ndawonye, ngakho balokukhudumala; kodwa ngoyedwa angakhudumala njani?
12 And if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.
Njalo uba omunye engehlula oyedwa, ababili bazamelana laye; lentambo elemicu emithathu kayiqanyulwa masinyane.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.
Umfana ongumyanga ohlakaniphileyo ungcono kulenkosi endala eyisithutha engasakwazi ukwelulekwa.
14 For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.
Ngoba uyaphuma entolongweni ukuthi abe yinkosi, lanxa futhi owayezelwe embusweni wakhe esiba ngumyanga.
15 I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his place;
Ngabona bonke abaphilayo abahamba ngaphansi kwelanga, lomfana wesibili ozakuma esikhundleni sakhe.
16 there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Kakulasiphetho sabantu bonke, sabo bonke ababephambi kwabo, lalabo abeza emva kabayikuthokoza ngaye. Isibili lokhu lakho kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
