Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
Maloba ya Moteyi, mwana mobali ya Davidi, mokonzi na Yelusalemi.
2 Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
Pamba na pamba, elobi Moteyi; pamba na pamba, nyonso ezali kaka pamba.
3 What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
Moto azwaka litomba nini penza na misala nyonso oyo amonelaka pasi na se ya moyi?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
Eleko moko eleki, mpe eleko mosusu eyei, kasi mabele etikalaka kaka seko na seko.
5 The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
Moyi ebimaka mpe elalaka, bongo ezongaka na lombangu na esika oyo ebimelaka.
6 it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
Mopepe ekeyi na ngambo ya sude, ebaluki na ngambo ya nor, ebaluki-baluki mpe ekeyi lisusu, ezongelaka kaka banzela wana.
7 All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
Mayi nyonso ekendaka na ebale monene, kasi ebale monene etondaka te; mpe mayi yango ezongaka lisusu epai ewutaka.
8 Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
Makambo nyonso elembisaka, moto oyo akoki kobeta na yango tembe azali te; nzokande, miso etondaka te na kotala, mpe matoyi etondaka te na koyoka.
9 What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
Oyo ezalaki ekozala lisusu, oyo esalemaki ekosalema lisusu: likambo ya sika ezalaka te na se ya moyi.
10 There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
Boni, ezali penza na likambo moko oyo moto akoki koloba na tina yango: « Tala, oyo penza ezali likambo ya sika? » Te, esila komizalela kala, kala penza liboso ya eleko na biso.
11 There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
Ndenge bato bayebaka lisusu bato ya kala te, ndenge wana mpe bato oyo bakoya sima bakotikala koyeba bango te na bato oyo bakolanda.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
Ngai, Moteyi, nazalaki mokonzi ya Isalaele, na Yelusalemi.
13 And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
Namipesaki mpo na koyekola mpe kososola na nzela ya bwanya, makambo nyonso oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi. Nzokande, ezali na yango kaka mosala ya mpunda oyo Nzambe apesa na bana ya bato mpo ete bamonela yango pasi!
14 I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
Namona misala nyonso oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi; nyonso wana ezali kaka pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
15 The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
Bakoki te kosembola eloko oyo etengama, bakoki mpe te kotanga eloko oyo ezali te.
16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
Namilobelaki: « Tala, nakolisi mpe nabakisi bwanya mingi koleka moto nyonso oyo azalaki liboso na ngai, na Yelusalemi. » Motema na ngai etondaki penza na bwanya mpe na boyebi ebele.
17 And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
Namipesaki makasi mpo na koyekola bwanya mpe, lisusu, makambo ya bozoba mpe ya liboma; kasi nasosolaki ete yango mpe ezali kaka lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
18 Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
Pamba te kozala na bwanya mingi ememelaka moto pasi, mpe kozala na mayele mingi etungisaka motema.
