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 labor, 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 towards 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 whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
Yonke imifula iya olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali; endaweni lapho imifula evela khona, ibuyele iye khona.
8 All things [are] full of labor; 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 labor 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 wanting cannot be numbered.
Okugobileyo kakulakuqondiswa; lokuswelekayo kakulakubalwa.
16 I communed with 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.
