Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Maneno ya Mhubiri, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme huko Yerusalemu:
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
“Ubatili mtupu! Ubatili mtupu!” Mhubiri anasema. “Ubatili mtupu! Kila kitu ni ubatili.”
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
Upepo huvuma kuelekea kusini na kugeukia kaskazini, hurudia mzunguko huo huo, daima ukirudia njia yake.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Kile kilichokuwepo kitakuwepo tena, kile kilichofanyika kitafanyika tena, hakuna kilicho kipya chini ya jua.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
Kuna kitu chochote ambacho mtu anaweza kusema, “Tazama! Kitu hiki ni kipya”? Kilikuwepo tangu zamani za kale, kilikuwepo kabla ya wakati wetu.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
Hakuna kumbukumbu ya watu wa zamani, hata na wale ambao hawajaja bado hawatakumbukwa na wale watakaofuata baadaye.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mimi, Mhubiri, nilikuwa mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath Elohim given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
Nilitumia muda wangu wote kujifunza na kuvumbua kwa hekima yote yanayofanyika chini ya mbingu. Jinsi gani Mungu ameweka mzigo mzito juu ya wanadamu!
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Nimeshaona mambo yote yanayotendeka chini ya jua, hayo yote ni ubatili, hii ni kukimbiza upepo.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Kilichopindika hakiwezi kunyooshwa, kile ambacho hakipo haiwezekani kukihesabu.
16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
Niliwaza mwenyewe, “Tazama, nimekua na kuongezeka katika hekima kuliko yeyote aliyewahi kutawala Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Nimekuwa na uzoefu mkubwa wa hekima na maarifa.”
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
