UmTshumayeli 1
1 Amazwi oMtshumayeli, indodana kaDavida inkosi yaseJerusalema:
THE WORDS OF the Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli. “Ize elipheleleyo! Konke kuyize.”
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 Umuntu uzuzani ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe awusebenza nzima ngaphansi kwelanga?
What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
4 Izizukulwane ziyafika, izizukulwane ziyedlula, kodwa umhlaba umi lanini.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
5 Ilanga liyaphuma njalo ilanga liyatshona, liphinde liphange libuyele lapho eliphuma khona.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
6 Umoya uphephethela eningizimu ujike uye enyakatho; uyabhoda, ubhode njalo ujinge ubuyela endleleni yawo.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
7 Zonke izifula zigelezela olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali. Endaweni lapho izifula ezidabuka khona zicina zibuyela khona njalo.
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 Zonke izinto ziyadina, lokho okungelandiswe muntu. Ilihlo kalidinwa yikubona, lendlebe layo kayigcwali ngokuzwa.
All things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Lokho okwake kwaba khona kuzakuba khona njalo; okwake kwenziwa kuzakwenziwa njalo; akulalutho olutsha ngaphansi kwelanga.
That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Kukhona yini umuntu angathi ngakho, “Khangela! Lolulutho lutsha?” Selwake lwaba khona ngaphambili, kudala; lwalukhona singakabi khona.
Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? — it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.
11 Kayikho imikhumbulo ngabantu bakudala, njalo lalabo abezayo abayikukhunjulwa yilabo abalandelayo.
There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12 Mina Mtshumayeli, ngangiyinkosi yako-Israyeli eJerusalema.
I Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Ngazinikela ekufundeni lokudingisisa ngolwazi konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwezulu. Unzima kangakanani umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu!
And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
14 Sengizibonile zonke izinto ezenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; zonke kazitsho lutho, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 Okutshileneyo kungaze kwaqondiswa; okungekho kungaze kwabalwa.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 Ngacabanga ngedwa ngathi, “Khangela, sengikhulile njalo kwanda ukuhlakanipha kwami okudlula bonke asebake babusa eJerusalema ngaphambi kwami; sengibe lakho ukuhlakanipha okukhulu lolwazi.”
I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17 Ngasengizimisela ukuzwisisa ukuhlakanipha, njalo lokuphambana ingqondo lobuwula, kodwa ngafunda ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly — I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
18 Phela ngokwanda kokuhlakanipha kuyanda lokukhathazeka; ukwandisa ulwazi yikwandisa usizi.
For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
