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 by all his labor with which he wearieth himself 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; while the earth abideth for ever.
5 Moyi ebimaka mpe elalaka, bongo ezongaka na lombangu na esika oyo ebimelaka.
The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it 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 to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its 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; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
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 words become weary; man cannot express 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 is that which shall be, and that which hath been 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 of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were 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, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
12 Ngai, Moteyi, nazalaki mokonzi ya Isalaele, na Yelusalemi.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at 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 mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
14 Namona misala nyonso oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi; nyonso wana ezali kaka pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
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 my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much 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 mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
18 Pamba te kozala na bwanya mingi ememelaka moto pasi, mpe kozala na mayele mingi etungisaka motema.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
