Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
Haya ni maneno ya Mwalimu, mwana wa Daudi na mfalme katika Yerusalemu.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.
Mwalimu asema hivi, “Kama mvuke wa ukungu, kama upepo mwanana katika upepo, kila kitu hutoweka na kuacha maswali mengi.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labor, which he taketh under the sun?
Ni faida gani wanadamu huipata kutoka katika kazi zote wazifanyazo chini ya jua?
4 [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
Kizazi kimoja huenda, na kizazi kingine huja, lakini nchi yabaki milele.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Jua huchomoza na jua huzama na kwenda kwa kasi, na kurudi mahali linapochomozea tena.
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.
Upepo huvuma kusini na huzunguka kasikazi, na mara zote ukizunguka katika njia yake na kurudi tena.
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.
Mito yote hutiririka katika bahari, lakini bahari haijai. Mahali mito inakoenda, ndiko inakoenda tena.
8 All things [are] full of labor; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Kila kitu huwa uchovu, na hakuna yeyote awezae kukielezea. Jicho halishibina kile linachokiona, wala sikio halishibi na kile linachosikia.
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.
Chochote kilichopo ndicho kitakachokuwepo, kila kilichofanyika ndicho kitakachofanyika. Hakuna jipya chini ya jua.
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.
Je kuna jambo lolote ambalo watu wanaweza kusema, 'Tazama, hili ni jipya'? Chochote kilichopo kimekwisha kuwepo muda mwingi, wakati uliokuwepo kabla yetu.
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.
Hakuna anayeonekana kukumbuka kilichotokea nyakati za zamani. Na mambo yaliyo tokea siku zilizo pita na yale yatakayo tokea siku za mbele nayo hayatakumbukwa.”
12 I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mimi ni mwalimu, na nimekuwa mfalme juu ya Isareli katika Yerusalemu.
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.
Nilitia akili yangu katika kusoma na kutafuta kwa hekima kila kitu kinachofanywa chini ya mbingu. Hili nalo ni jukumu zito ambalo Mungu amewapa wana wa watu kujishughulisha nalo.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
Nimeona matendo yote ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua, na tazama yote ni mvuke ni kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
15 [That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Palipopinda hapawezi kunyoshwa! Kisicho kuwepo hakiwezi kuhesabiwa!
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.
Nimeuambia moyo wangu nikisema, “Tazama, nimepata hekima kubwa kuliko walioishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Akili yangu imeona hekima kubwa na ufahamu.”
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
nimetia moyo wangu kujua hekima na upumbuvu na ujinga. Nikagundua kuwa hili nalo pia lilikuwa ni kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Kwa kuwa katika wingi wa hekima kuna masumbufu mengi, naye aongezae ujuzi, aongeza masikitiko.
