< Ecclesiastes 1 >
1 THE WORDS OF the Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Maloba ya Moteyi, mwana mobali ya Davidi, mokonzi na Yelusalemi.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
Pamba na pamba, elobi Moteyi; pamba na pamba, nyonso ezali kaka pamba.
3 What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
Moto azwaka litomba nini penza na misala nyonso oyo amonelaka pasi na se ya moyi?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
Eleko moko eleki, mpe eleko mosusu eyei, kasi mabele etikalaka kaka seko na seko.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
Moyi ebimaka mpe elalaka, bongo ezongaka na lombangu na esika oyo ebimelaka.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
Mopepe ekeyi na ngambo ya sude, ebaluki na ngambo ya nor, ebaluki-baluki mpe ekeyi lisusu, ezongelaka kaka banzela wana.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
Mayi nyonso ekendaka na ebale monene, kasi ebale monene etondaka te; mpe mayi yango ezongaka lisusu epai ewutaka.
8 All things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with 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 That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
Oyo ezalaki ekozala lisusu, oyo esalemaki ekosalema lisusu: likambo ya sika ezalaka te na se ya moyi.
10 Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? — it hath been already, in the ages which 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 them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.
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 Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ngai, Moteyi, nazalaki mokonzi ya Isalaele, na Yelusalemi.
13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
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 the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
Namona misala nyonso oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi; nyonso wana ezali kaka pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Bakoki te kosembola eloko oyo etengama, bakoki mpe te kotanga eloko oyo ezali te.
16 I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
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 applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly — I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
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 For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Pamba te kozala na bwanya mingi ememelaka moto pasi, mpe kozala na mayele mingi etungisaka motema.