Omubuulizi 1
1 Ebigambo by’Omubuulizi, mutabani wa Dawudi kabaka mu Yerusaalemi.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Obutaliimu! Obutaliimu!” bw’ayogera Omubuulizi. Byonna butaliimu.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 Omuntu afuna ki mu byonna by’akola, mu byonna ebimukooya wansi w’enjuba?
What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
4 Omulembe ogumu gugenda, omulala ne gujja, naye ensi ebeerera emirembe gyonna.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
5 Enjuba evaayo era n’egwa, ate n’eyanguwa okutuuka mu kifo mw’eviirayo.
The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
6 Empewo ekunta ng’eraga obukiikaddyo, ne yeetooloola okutuuka obukiikakkono; empewo yeetooloola ne yeetooloola, n’ekomerawo ku biwaawaatiro byayo.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.
7 Emigga gyonna gikulukuta nga giraga mu nnyanja, naye ennyanja tejjula; ekifo emigga gye gikulukutira era gye gyeyongera okukulukutira.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
8 Ebintu byonna bijjudde obukoowu omuntu bw’atasobola kutenda! Eriiso terimatira kulaba, wadde okutu okukoowa okuwulira.
All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Ekyo ekyabaawo era kye kigenda okubaawo, n’ekyo ekikoleddwa era kye kigenda okukolebwa; era tewali kintu kiggya wansi w’enjuba.
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 Waali wabaddewo ekintu ekyali kigambiddwa nti, “Laba kino kiggya”? Kyaliwo dda mu mirembe egyatusooka?
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 Tewali kujjukira bintu byasooka era tewaliba kujjukira bintu ebyo ebitanabaawo mu ebyo ebijja oluvannyuma.
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 Nze Omubuulizi nali kabaka wa Isirayiri mu Yerusaalemi.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
13 Nagezaako n’omutima gwange okuyiga n’okwetegereza n’amagezi gange gonna mu ebyo ebikolebwa wansi w’eggulu; omulimu Katonda gwe yawa abaana b’abantu okukola, guteganya.
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 Ndabye ebintu byonna ebikolebwa wansi w’enjuba; era laba, byonna butaliimu na kugoberera mpewo.
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
15 Ekyo ekyakyama tekisoboka kugololebwa, n’ekibulako tekibalibwa.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 Nayogera munda yange nti, “Nfunye amagezi mangi agasinga ag’abo bonna abaali babadde mu Yerusaalemi, era nfunye amagezi n’okumanya kungi.”
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 Era omutima gwange ne gumanya okwawula amagezi n’eddalu, n’obutategeera. Ne ntegeera nti na kino nakyo kugoberera mpewo.
And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
18 Kubanga mu magezi amangi mujjiramu okunakuwala kungi; amagezi gye gakoma obungi, n’okunakuwala gye gukoma.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
