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 man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?
4 Omulembe ogumu gugenda, omulala ne gujja, naye ensi ebeerera emirembe gyonna.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.
5 Enjuba evaayo era n’egwa, ate n’eyanguwa okutuuka mu kifo mw’eviirayo.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
6 Empewo ekunta ng’eraga obukiikaddyo, ne yeetooloola okutuuka obukiikakkono; empewo yeetooloola ne yeetooloola, n’ekomerawo ku biwaawaatiro byayo.
The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again 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: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
8 Ebintu byonna bijjudde obukoowu omuntu bw’atasobola kutenda! Eriiso terimatira kulaba, wadde okutu okukoowa okuwulira.
All things are full of toil; none can 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.
That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Waali wabaddewo ekintu ekyali kigambiddwa nti, “Laba kino kiggya”? Kyaliwo dda mu mirembe egyatusooka?
Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages 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; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.
12 Nze Omubuulizi nali kabaka wa Isirayiri mu Yerusaalemi.
I, the Preacher, was 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.
And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.
14 Ndabye ebintu byonna ebikolebwa wansi w’enjuba; era laba, byonna butaliimu na kugoberera mpewo.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the 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 mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of 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 applied my heart to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the knowledge of madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after the 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.
