Mlaliki 1
1 Mawu a Mlaliki, mwana wa Davide, mfumu ya ku Yerusalemu:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Zopandapake! Zopandapake!” atero Mlaliki. “Zopandapake kotheratu! Zopandapake.”
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 Kodi munthu amapindulanji pa ntchito zake zonse zimene amasautsidwa nazo pansi pano?
What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
4 Mibado imabwera ndipo mibado imapita, koma dziko lapansi limakhalapobe nthawi zonse.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
5 Dzuwa limatuluka ndipo dzuwa limalowa ndipo limapita mwamsanga kumene limatulukira.
The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
6 Mphepo imawombera cha kummwera ndi kukhotera cha kumpoto; imawomba mozungulirazungulira, kumangobwererabwerera komwe yachokera.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.
7 Mitsinje yonse imakathira ku nyanja, koma nyanjayo sidzaza; kumene madziwo amachokera, amabwereranso komweko.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
8 Zinthu zonse ndi zotopetsa, kutopetsa kwake ndi kosaneneka. Maso satopa ndi kuona kapena khutu kukwaniritsidwa ndi kumva.
All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Zomwe zinalipo kale zidzakhalaponso, zomwe zinachitika kale zidzachitikanso. Ndiye kuti chatsopano palibiretu pansi pano.
The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Kodi chilipo chinthu chimene wina anganene kuti, “Taona! Ichi ndiye chatsopano?” Chinalipo kale, kalekale; chinalipo ife kulibe.
Is there any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were before us.
11 Anthu akale sakumbukiridwa, ngakhale amene adzabwera mʼtsogolomu sadzakumbukiridwa ndi iwo amene adzabwere pambuyo pawo.
There is no remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
12 Ine, Mlalikine, ndinali mfumu ya Israeli mu Yerusalemu.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
13 Ndinayika mtima wanga pophunzira ndi kufunafuna mwa nzeru zinthu zonse zimene zimachitika pansi pa thambo. Ndi ntchito yolemetsa ndithu imene Mulungu anayipereka kwa anthu!
And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
14 Ine ndaona zinthu zonse zochitika pansi pano; zinthu zonsezo ndi zopandapake, nʼkungodzivuta chabe.
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
15 Chinthu chokhota sichingathe kuwongoledwa; chimene palibe sichingathe kuwerengedwa.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 Ine ndinaganiza mu mtima mwanga, “Taona, ine ndakula ndi kukhala wa nzeru zochuluka kupambana aliyense amene analamulirapo Yerusalemu ndisanabadwe; ndaphunzira nzeru zochuluka ndi luntha.”
I communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much wisdom and knowledge.”
17 Ndipo ndinadzipereka kuti ndithe kumvetsa kuti nzeru nʼchiyani, misala nʼchiyani, uchitsiru nʼchiyani, koma ndinazindikira ichi, kuti kuteronso nʼkungodzivuta chabe.
And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
18 Pakuti nzeru zochuluka zimabweretsa chisoni chochulukanso: chidziwitso chochuluka, zowawa zochulukanso.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
