Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Amazwi omTshumayeli, indodana kaDavida, inkosi eJerusalema.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
Ize leze, kutsho umTshumayeli, ize leze, konke kuyize.
3 What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
Kuyinzuzoni emuntwini emtshikatshikeni wakhe wonke awutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
Isizukulwana siyedlula, lesizukulwana size, kodwa umhlaba umi kuze kube nininini.
5 The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
Lelanga liyaphuma, lelanga litshone, litshetshela endaweni lapho eliphuma khona.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.
Umoya uya eningizimu, ujikele enyakatho, ujikajike uhambe, lomoya ubuyele ekubhodeni kwawo.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
Yonke imifula iya olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali; endaweni lapho imifula evela khona, ibuyele iye khona.
8 All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Zonke izinto ziyadinisa; kakulamuntu olakho ukukukhuluma. Ilihlo kalisuthi ngokubona, lendlebe kayigcwaliswa yikuzwa.
9 The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
Okwake kwaba khona yilokho okuzakuba khona, lokwake kwenziwa yilokho okuzakwenziwa; njalo kakulalutho olutsha ngaphansi kwelanga.
10 Is there any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were before us.
Kungaba khona ulutho yini okungathiwa ngalo: Khangela, lokhu kutsha! Kwakuvele kukhona endulo engaphambi kwethu.
11 There is no remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
Kakukho ukukhunjulwa kwezinto zakuqala; njalo lezinto ezizayo ezizakuba khona kakuyikuba khona ukukhunjulwa kwazo lalabo abazakuba khona emva kwalokho.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
Mina mTshumayeli ngangiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli eJerusalema.
13 And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
Ngasenginikela inhliziyo yami ukudinga lokuhlolisisa ngokuhlakanipha ngakho konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwamazulu; lumtshikatshika onzima uNkulunkulu uwunike abantwana babantu ukuthi baphatheke ngawo.
14 I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
Ngiyibonile yonke imisebenzi eyenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke, konke kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Okugobileyo kakulakuqondiswa; lokuswelekayo kakulakubalwa.
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much wisdom and knowledge.”
Ngakhuluma mina lenhliziyo yami ngisithi: Khangela, mina ngikhulile ngandisa inhlakanipho phezu kwabo bonke ababephambi kwami eJerusalema; njalo inhliziyo yami ibonile kakhulu inhlakanipho lolwazi.
17 And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
Nganginikela inhliziyo yami ukwazi inhlakanipho, lokwazi ukuhlanya lobuthutha, ngabona ukuthi lalokhu yikukhathazeka komoya.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Ngoba kunhlakanipho enengi kulokukhathazeka okunengi, lowandisa ulwazi wandisa usizi.
