Ecclesiastes 1
1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Amazwi oMtshumayeli, indodana kaDavida inkosi yaseJerusalema:
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
“Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli. “Ize elipheleleyo! Konke kuyize.”
3 What advantage [is] to man by all his labor that he labors at under the sun?
Umuntu uzuzani ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe awusebenza nzima ngaphansi kwelanga?
4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.
Izizukulwane ziyafika, izizukulwane ziyedlula, kodwa umhlaba umi lanini.
5 Also, the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in, and to its place panting it is rising there.
Ilanga liyaphuma njalo ilanga liyatshona, liphinde liphange libuyele lapho eliphuma khona.
6 Going to the south, and turning around to the north, turning around, turning around, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind has returned.
Umoya uphephethela eningizimu ujike uye enyakatho; uyabhoda, ubhode njalo ujinge ubuyela endleleni yawo.
7 All the streams are going to the sea, and the sea is not full; to a place to where the streams are going, there they are turning back to go.
Zonke izifula zigelezela olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali. Endaweni lapho izifula ezidabuka khona zicina zibuyela khona njalo.
8 All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear filled from hearing.
Zonke izinto ziyadina, lokho okungelandiswe muntu. Ilihlo kalidinwa yikubona, lendlebe layo kayigcwali ngokuzwa.
9 What [is] that which has been? It [is] that which is, and what [is] that which has been done? It [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
Lokho okwake kwaba khona kuzakuba khona njalo; okwake kwenziwa kuzakwenziwa njalo; akulalutho olutsha ngaphansi kwelanga.
10 There is a thing of which [one] says: “See this, it [is] new!” Already it has been in the ages that were before us!
Kukhona yini umuntu angathi ngakho, “Khangela! Lolulutho lutsha?” Selwake lwaba khona ngaphambili, kudala; lwalukhona singakabi khona.
11 There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
Kayikho imikhumbulo ngabantu bakudala, njalo lalabo abezayo abayikukhunjulwa yilabo abalandelayo.
12 I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mina Mtshumayeli, ngangiyinkosi yako-Israyeli eJerusalema.
13 And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that has been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God has given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
Ngazinikela ekufundeni lokudingisisa ngolwazi konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwezulu. Unzima kangakanani umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu!
14 I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit!
Sengizibonile zonke izinto ezenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; zonke kazitsho lutho, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
15 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
Okutshileneyo kungaze kwaqondiswa; okungekho kungaze kwabalwa.
16 I spoke with my heart, saying, “I, behold, have magnified and added wisdom above everyone who has been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart has seen wisdom and knowledge abundantly.
Ngacabanga ngedwa ngathi, “Khangela, sengikhulile njalo kwanda ukuhlakanipha kwami okudlula bonke asebake babusa eJerusalema ngaphambi kwami; sengibe lakho ukuhlakanipha okukhulu lolwazi.”
17 And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit;
Ngasengizimisela ukuzwisisa ukuhlakanipha, njalo lokuphambana ingqondo lobuwula, kodwa ngafunda ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
18 for in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who adds knowledge adds pain.”
Phela ngokwanda kokuhlakanipha kuyanda lokukhathazeka; ukwandisa ulwazi yikwandisa usizi.
