Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Amazwi oMtshumayeli, indodana kaDavida inkosi yaseJerusalema:
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
“Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli. “Ize elipheleleyo! Konke kuyize.”
3 What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
Umuntu uzuzani ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe awusebenza nzima ngaphansi kwelanga?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
Izizukulwane ziyafika, izizukulwane ziyedlula, kodwa umhlaba umi lanini.
5 The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
Ilanga liyaphuma njalo ilanga liyatshona, liphinde liphange libuyele 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 uphephethela eningizimu ujike uye enyakatho; uyabhoda, ubhode njalo ujinge ubuyela endleleni yawo.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
Zonke izifula zigelezela olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali. Endaweni lapho izifula ezidabuka khona zicina zibuyela khona njalo.
8 All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Zonke izinto ziyadina, lokho okungelandiswe muntu. Ilihlo kalidinwa yikubona, lendlebe layo kayigcwali ngokuzwa.
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.
Lokho okwake kwaba khona kuzakuba khona njalo; okwake kwenziwa kuzakwenziwa njalo; akulalutho 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.
Kukhona yini umuntu angathi ngakho, “Khangela! Lolulutho lutsha?” Selwake lwaba khona ngaphambili, kudala; lwalukhona singakabi khona.
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.
Kayikho imikhumbulo ngabantu bakudala, njalo lalabo abezayo abayikukhunjulwa yilabo abalandelayo.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
Mina Mtshumayeli, ngangiyinkosi yako-Israyeli 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.
Ngazinikela ekufundeni lokudingisisa ngolwazi konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwezulu. Unzima kangakanani umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu!
14 I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
Sengizibonile zonke izinto ezenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; zonke kazitsho lutho, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Okutshileneyo kungaze kwaqondiswa; okungekho kungaze kwabalwa.
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.”
Ngacabanga ngedwa ngathi, “Khangela, sengikhulile njalo kwanda ukuhlakanipha kwami okudlula bonke asebake babusa eJerusalema ngaphambi kwami; sengibe lakho ukuhlakanipha okukhulu 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.
Ngasengizimisela ukuzwisisa ukuhlakanipha, njalo lokuphambana ingqondo lobuwula, kodwa ngafunda ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Phela ngokwanda kokuhlakanipha kuyanda lokukhathazeka; ukwandisa ulwazi yikwandisa usizi.
