UmTshumayeli 1
1 Amazwi oMtshumayeli, indodana kaDavida inkosi yaseJerusalema:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli. “Ize elipheleleyo! Konke kuyize.”
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, 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 wherewith he laboureth under the sun?
4 Izizukulwane ziyafika, izizukulwane ziyedlula, kodwa umhlaba umi lanini.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.
5 Ilanga liyaphuma njalo ilanga liyatshona, liphinde liphange libuyele lapho eliphuma khona.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
6 Umoya uphephethela eningizimu ujike uye enyakatho; uyabhoda, ubhode njalo ujinge ubuyela endleleni yawo.
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 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 are full of toil; none can express 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 will 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 may be 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 former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.
12 Mina Mtshumayeli, ngangiyinkosi yako-Israyeli eJerusalema.
I, the Preacher, was 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 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 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 pursuit of the 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 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 Ngasengizimisela ukuzwisisa ukuhlakanipha, njalo lokuphambana ingqondo lobuwula, kodwa ngafunda ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
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 Phela ngokwanda kokuhlakanipha kuyanda lokukhathazeka; ukwandisa ulwazi yikwandisa usizi.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
