Ecclesiastes 1
1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Amazwi omTshumayeli, indodana kaDavida, inkosi eJerusalema.
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
Ize leze, kutsho umTshumayeli, ize leze, konke kuyize.
3 What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
Kuyinzuzoni emuntwini emtshikatshikeni wakhe wonke awutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga?
4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
Isizukulwana siyedlula, lesizukulwana size, kodwa umhlaba umi kuze kube nininini.
5 Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
Lelanga liyaphuma, lelanga litshone, litshetshela endaweni 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 uya eningizimu, ujikele enyakatho, ujikajike uhambe, lomoya ubuyele ekubhodeni kwawo.
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.
Yonke imifula iya olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali; endaweni lapho imifula evela khona, ibuyele iye khona.
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 ziyadinisa; kakulamuntu olakho ukukukhuluma. Ilihlo kalisuthi ngokubona, lendlebe kayigcwaliswa yikuzwa.
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.
Okwake kwaba khona yilokho okuzakuba khona, lokwake kwenziwa yilokho okuzakwenziwa; njalo kakulalutho 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!
Kungaba khona ulutho yini okungathiwa ngalo: Khangela, lokhu kutsha! Kwakuvele kukhona endulo engaphambi kwethu.
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.
Kakukho ukukhunjulwa kwezinto zakuqala; njalo lezinto ezizayo ezizakuba khona kakuyikuba khona ukukhunjulwa kwazo lalabo abazakuba khona emva kwalokho.
12 I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mina mTshumayeli ngangiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli 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.
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 have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
Ngiyibonile yonke imisebenzi eyenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke, konke kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
15 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
Okugobileyo kakulakuqondiswa; lokuswelekayo kakulakubalwa.
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.
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 give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
Nganginikela inhliziyo yami ukwazi inhlakanipho, lokwazi ukuhlanya lobuthutha, ngabona ukuthi lalokhu yikukhathazeka komoya.
18 for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
Ngoba kunhlakanipho enengi kulokukhathazeka okunengi, lowandisa ulwazi wandisa usizi.
