Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of 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 of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Kuyinzuzoni emuntwini emtshikatshikeni wakhe wonke awutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
Isizukulwana siyedlula, lesizukulwana size, kodwa umhlaba umi kuze kube nininini.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Lelanga liyaphuma, lelanga litshone, litshetshela endaweni lapho eliphuma khona.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according 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 from which the rivers come, there they return again.
Yonke imifula iya olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali; endaweni lapho imifula evela khona, ibuyele iye khona.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter 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, it is that which shall be; and that which is 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 it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
Kungaba khona ulutho yini okungathiwa ngalo: Khangela, lokhu kutsha! Kwakuvele kukhona endulo engaphambi kwethu.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
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 in Jerusalem.
Mina mTshumayeli ngangiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli eJerusalema.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this grievous labour hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it.
Ngasenginikela inhliziyo yami ukudinga lokuhlolisisa ngokuhlakanipha ngakho konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwamazulu; lumtshikatshika onzima uNkulunkulu uwunike abantwana babantu ukuthi baphatheke ngawo.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
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 lacking cannot be numbered.
Okugobileyo kakulakuqondiswa; lokuswelekayo kakulakubalwa.
16 I spoke to my own heart, saying, Lo, I have come to great estate, and have gained more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: and my heart had great experience of 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 heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
Nganginikela inhliziyo yami ukwazi inhlakanipho, lokwazi ukuhlanya lobuthutha, ngabona ukuthi lalokhu yikukhathazeka komoya.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Ngoba kunhlakanipho enengi kulokukhathazeka okunengi, lowandisa ulwazi wandisa usizi.
