Ecclesiastes 1
1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Amazwi oMtshumayeli, indodana kaDavida inkosi yaseJerusalema:
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
“Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli. “Ize elipheleleyo! Konke kuyize.”
3 What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
Umuntu uzuzani ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe awusebenza nzima ngaphansi kwelanga?
4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
Izizukulwane ziyafika, izizukulwane ziyedlula, kodwa umhlaba umi lanini.
5 Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
Ilanga liyaphuma njalo ilanga liyatshona, liphinde liphange libuyele lapho eliphuma khona.
6 Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
Umoya uphephethela eningizimu ujike uye enyakatho; uyabhoda, ubhode njalo ujinge ubuyela endleleni yawo.
7 All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
Zonke izifula zigelezela olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali. Endaweni lapho izifula ezidabuka khona zicina zibuyela khona njalo.
8 All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
Zonke izinto ziyadina, lokho okungelandiswe muntu. Ilihlo kalidinwa yikubona, lendlebe layo kayigcwali ngokuzwa.
9 What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
Lokho okwake kwaba khona kuzakuba khona njalo; okwake kwenziwa kuzakwenziwa njalo; akulalutho olutsha ngaphansi kwelanga.
10 There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
Kukhona yini umuntu angathi ngakho, “Khangela! Lolulutho lutsha?” Selwake lwaba khona ngaphambili, kudala; lwalukhona singakabi khona.
11 There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
Kayikho imikhumbulo ngabantu bakudala, njalo lalabo abezayo abayikukhunjulwa yilabo abalandelayo.
12 I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mina Mtshumayeli, ngangiyinkosi yako-Israyeli eJerusalema.
13 And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
Ngazinikela ekufundeni lokudingisisa ngolwazi konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwezulu. Unzima kangakanani umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu!
14 I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
Sengizibonile zonke izinto ezenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; zonke kazitsho lutho, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
15 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
Okutshileneyo kungaze kwaqondiswa; okungekho kungaze kwabalwa.
16 I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly 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 give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
Ngasengizimisela ukuzwisisa ukuhlakanipha, njalo lokuphambana ingqondo lobuwula, kodwa ngafunda ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
18 for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
Phela ngokwanda kokuhlakanipha kuyanda lokukhathazeka; ukwandisa ulwazi yikwandisa usizi.
