Mosakoli 1
1 Maloba ya Moteyi, mwana mobali ya Davidi, mokonzi na Yelusalemi.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Pamba na pamba, elobi Moteyi; pamba na pamba, nyonso ezali kaka pamba.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.
3 Moto azwaka litomba nini penza na misala nyonso oyo amonelaka pasi na se ya moyi?
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 Eleko moko eleki, mpe eleko mosusu eyei, kasi mabele etikalaka kaka seko na seko.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 Moyi ebimaka mpe elalaka, bongo ezongaka na lombangu na esika oyo ebimelaka.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6 Mopepe ekeyi na ngambo ya sude, ebaluki na ngambo ya nor, ebaluki-baluki mpe ekeyi lisusu, ezongelaka kaka banzela wana.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
7 Mayi nyonso ekendaka na ebale monene, kasi ebale monene etondaka te; mpe mayi yango ezongaka lisusu epai ewutaka.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 Makambo nyonso elembisaka, moto oyo akoki kobeta na yango tembe azali te; nzokande, miso etondaka te na kotala, mpe matoyi etondaka te na koyoka.
All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it: ] the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Oyo ezalaki ekozala lisusu, oyo esalemaki ekosalema lisusu: likambo ya sika ezalaka te na se ya moyi.
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.
10 Boni, ezali penza na likambo moko oyo moto akoki koloba na tina yango: « Tala, oyo penza ezali likambo ya sika? » Te, esila komizalela kala, kala penza liboso ya eleko na biso.
Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11 Ndenge bato bayebaka lisusu bato ya kala te, ndenge wana mpe bato oyo bakoya sima bakotikala koyeba bango te na bato oyo bakolanda.
[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.
12 Ngai, Moteyi, nazalaki mokonzi ya Isalaele, na Yelusalemi.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Namipesaki mpo na koyekola mpe kososola na nzela ya bwanya, makambo nyonso oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi. Nzokande, ezali na yango kaka mosala ya mpunda oyo Nzambe apesa na bana ya bato mpo ete bamonela yango pasi!
And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
14 Namona misala nyonso oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi; nyonso wana ezali kaka pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 Bakoki te kosembola eloko oyo etengama, bakoki mpe te kotanga eloko oyo ezali te.
[That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 Namilobelaki: « Tala, nakolisi mpe nabakisi bwanya mingi koleka moto nyonso oyo azalaki liboso na ngai, na Yelusalemi. » Motema na ngai etondaki penza na bwanya mpe na boyebi ebele.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17 Namipesaki makasi mpo na koyekola bwanya mpe, lisusu, makambo ya bozoba mpe ya liboma; kasi nasosolaki ete yango mpe ezali kaka lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18 Pamba te kozala na bwanya mingi ememelaka moto pasi, mpe kozala na mayele mingi etungisaka motema.
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
