Omubuulizi 1
1 Ebigambo by’Omubuulizi, mutabani wa Dawudi kabaka mu Yerusaalemi.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Obutaliimu! Obutaliimu!” bw’ayogera Omubuulizi. Byonna butaliimu.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 Omuntu afuna ki mu byonna by’akola, mu byonna ebimukooya wansi w’enjuba?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 Omulembe ogumu gugenda, omulala ne gujja, naye ensi ebeerera emirembe gyonna.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 Enjuba evaayo era n’egwa, ate n’eyanguwa okutuuka mu kifo mw’eviirayo.
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 Empewo ekunta ng’eraga obukiikaddyo, ne yeetooloola okutuuka obukiikakkono; empewo yeetooloola ne yeetooloola, n’ekomerawo ku biwaawaatiro byayo.
Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
7 Emigga gyonna gikulukuta nga giraga mu nnyanja, naye ennyanja tejjula; ekifo emigga gye gikulukutira era gye gyeyongera okukulukutira.
All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8 Ebintu byonna bijjudde obukoowu omuntu bw’atasobola kutenda! Eriiso terimatira kulaba, wadde okutu okukoowa okuwulira.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
9 Ekyo ekyabaawo era kye kigenda okubaawo, n’ekyo ekikoleddwa era kye kigenda okukolebwa; era tewali kintu kiggya wansi w’enjuba.
What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10 Waali wabaddewo ekintu ekyali kigambiddwa nti, “Laba kino kiggya”? Kyaliwo dda mu mirembe egyatusooka?
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
11 Tewali kujjukira bintu byasooka era tewaliba kujjukira bintu ebyo ebitanabaawo mu ebyo ebijja oluvannyuma.
There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 Nze Omubuulizi nali kabaka wa Isirayiri mu Yerusaalemi.
I, a preacher, 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.
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 Ndabye ebintu byonna ebikolebwa wansi w’enjuba; era laba, byonna butaliimu na kugoberera mpewo.
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 Ekyo ekyakyama tekisoboka kugololebwa, n’ekibulako tekibalibwa.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to 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 — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly 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 give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 Kubanga mu magezi amangi mujjiramu okunakuwala kungi; amagezi gye gakoma obungi, n’okunakuwala gye gukoma.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
