UmTshumayeli 1
1 Amazwi oMtshumayeli, indodana kaDavida inkosi yaseJerusalema:
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Ize! Ize!” kutsho uMtshumayeli. “Ize elipheleleyo! Konke kuyize.”
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 Umuntu uzuzani ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe awusebenza nzima ngaphansi kwelanga?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 Izizukulwane ziyafika, izizukulwane ziyedlula, kodwa umhlaba umi lanini.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 Ilanga liyaphuma njalo ilanga liyatshona, liphinde liphange libuyele lapho eliphuma khona.
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 Umoya uphephethela eningizimu ujike uye enyakatho; uyabhoda, ubhode njalo ujinge ubuyela endleleni yawo.
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 Zonke izifula zigelezela olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali. Endaweni lapho izifula ezidabuka khona zicina zibuyela khona njalo.
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 Zonke izinto ziyadina, lokho okungelandiswe muntu. Ilihlo kalidinwa yikubona, lendlebe layo kayigcwali ngokuzwa.
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 Lokho okwake kwaba khona kuzakuba khona njalo; okwake kwenziwa kuzakwenziwa njalo; akulalutho olutsha ngaphansi kwelanga.
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 Kukhona yini umuntu angathi ngakho, “Khangela! Lolulutho lutsha?” Selwake lwaba khona ngaphambili, kudala; lwalukhona singakabi khona.
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 Kayikho imikhumbulo ngabantu bakudala, njalo lalabo abezayo abayikukhunjulwa yilabo abalandelayo.
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 Mina Mtshumayeli, ngangiyinkosi yako-Israyeli eJerusalema.
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Ngazinikela ekufundeni lokudingisisa ngolwazi konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwezulu. Unzima kangakanani umthwalo uNkulunkulu awethese abantu!
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 Sengizibonile zonke izinto ezenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; zonke kazitsho lutho, kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 Okutshileneyo kungaze kwaqondiswa; okungekho kungaze kwabalwa.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to 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 — 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 Ngasengizimisela ukuzwisisa ukuhlakanipha, njalo lokuphambana ingqondo lobuwula, kodwa ngafunda ukuthi lokhu lakho kuyikuxotshana lomoya.
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 Phela ngokwanda kokuhlakanipha kuyanda lokukhathazeka; ukwandisa ulwazi yikwandisa usizi.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
