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 by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
5 The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth 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, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
8 All words become weary; man cannot express 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 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.
Kile kilichokuwepo kitakuwepo tena, kile kilichofanyika kitafanyika tena, hakuna kilicho kipya chini ya jua.
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.
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, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
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 at Jerusalem.
Mimi, Mhubiri, nilikuwa mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
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.
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 things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
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 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.”
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 mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
