Omubuulizi 1
1 Ebigambo by’Omubuulizi, mutabani wa Dawudi kabaka mu Yerusaalemi.
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 “Obutaliimu! Obutaliimu!” bw’ayogera Omubuulizi. Byonna butaliimu.
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 Omuntu afuna ki mu byonna by’akola, mu byonna ebimukooya wansi w’enjuba?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 Omulembe ogumu gugenda, omulala ne gujja, naye ensi ebeerera emirembe gyonna.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 Enjuba evaayo era n’egwa, ate n’eyanguwa okutuuka mu kifo mw’eviirayo.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
6 Empewo ekunta ng’eraga obukiikaddyo, ne yeetooloola okutuuka obukiikakkono; empewo yeetooloola ne yeetooloola, n’ekomerawo ku biwaawaatiro byayo.
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
7 Emigga gyonna gikulukuta nga giraga mu nnyanja, naye ennyanja tejjula; ekifo emigga gye gikulukutira era gye gyeyongera okukulukutira.
All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Ebintu byonna bijjudde obukoowu omuntu bw’atasobola kutenda! Eriiso terimatira kulaba, wadde okutu okukoowa okuwulira.
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
9 Ekyo ekyabaawo era kye kigenda okubaawo, n’ekyo ekikoleddwa era kye kigenda okukolebwa; era tewali kintu kiggya wansi w’enjuba.
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new under the sun.
10 Waali wabaddewo ekintu ekyali kigambiddwa nti, “Laba kino kiggya”? Kyaliwo dda mu mirembe egyatusooka?
Is there anything about which it may be said, 'Look, this is new'? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long before us.
11 Tewali kujjukira bintu byasooka era tewaliba kujjukira bintu ebyo ebitanabaawo mu ebyo ebijja oluvannyuma.
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”
12 Nze Omubuulizi nali kabaka wa Isirayiri mu Yerusaalemi.
I am the Teacher, and I have been king over Israel in 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.
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
14 Ndabye ebintu byonna ebikolebwa wansi w’enjuba; era laba, byonna butaliimu na kugoberera mpewo.
I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 Ekyo ekyakyama tekisoboka kugololebwa, n’ekibulako tekibalibwa.
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
16 Nayogera munda yange nti, “Nfunye amagezi mangi agasinga ag’abo bonna abaali babadde mu Yerusaalemi, era nfunye amagezi n’okumanya kungi.”
I have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great wisdom and knowledge.”
17 Era omutima gwange ne gumanya okwawula amagezi n’eddalu, n’obutategeera. Ne ntegeera nti na kino nakyo kugoberera mpewo.
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18 Kubanga mu magezi amangi mujjiramu okunakuwala kungi; amagezi gye gakoma obungi, n’okunakuwala gye gukoma.
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
