Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
Maneno ya Mhubiri, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme huko Yerusalemu:
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
“Ubatili mtupu! Ubatili mtupu!” Mhubiri anasema. “Ubatili mtupu! Kila kitu ni ubatili.”
3 What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labor that he takes under the sun?
Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
5 And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
6 arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
Upepo huvuma kuelekea kusini na kugeukia kaskazini, hurudia mzunguko huo huo, daima ukirudia njia yake.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return again.
Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
8 All things are full of labor; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.
Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
9 What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing 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 [Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
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 applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled 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 saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
Nimeshaona mambo yote yanayotendeka chini ya jua, hayo yote ni ubatili, hii ni kukimbiza upepo.
15 That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
Kilichopindika hakiwezi kunyooshwa, kile ambacho hakipo haiwezekani kukihesabu.
16 I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know 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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
