UmTshumayeli 1
1 Amazwi omTshumayeli, indodana kaDavida, inkosi eJerusalema.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Ize leze, kutsho umTshumayeli, ize leze, konke kuyize.
All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
3 Kuyinzuzoni emuntwini emtshikatshikeni wakhe wonke awutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga?
What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
4 Isizukulwana siyedlula, lesizukulwana size, kodwa umhlaba umi kuze kube nininini.
One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
5 Lelanga liyaphuma, lelanga litshone, litshetshela endaweni lapho eliphuma khona.
The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
6 Umoya uya eningizimu, ujikele enyakatho, ujikajike uhambe, lomoya ubuyele ekubhodeni kwawo.
The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
7 Yonke imifula iya olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali; endaweni lapho imifula evela khona, ibuyele iye khona.
All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Zonke izinto ziyadinisa; kakulamuntu olakho ukukukhuluma. Ilihlo kalisuthi ngokubona, lendlebe kayigcwaliswa yikuzwa.
All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
9 Okwake kwaba khona yilokho okuzakuba khona, lokwake kwenziwa yilokho okuzakwenziwa; njalo kakulalutho olutsha ngaphansi kwelanga.
That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Kungaba khona ulutho yini okungathiwa ngalo: Khangela, lokhu kutsha! Kwakuvele kukhona endulo engaphambi kwethu.
Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
11 Kakukho ukukhunjulwa kwezinto zakuqala; njalo lezinto ezizayo ezizakuba khona kakuyikuba khona ukukhunjulwa kwazo lalabo abazakuba khona emva kwalokho.
There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
12 Mina mTshumayeli ngangiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli eJerusalema.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Ngasenginikela inhliziyo yami ukudinga lokuhlolisisa ngokuhlakanipha ngakho konke okwenziwayo ngaphansi kwamazulu; lumtshikatshika onzima uNkulunkulu uwunike abantwana babantu ukuthi baphatheke ngawo.
And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
14 Ngiyibonile yonke imisebenzi eyenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke, konke kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
15 Okugobileyo kakulakuqondiswa; lokuswelekayo kakulakubalwa.
That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
16 Ngakhuluma mina lenhliziyo yami ngisithi: Khangela, mina ngikhulile ngandisa inhlakanipho phezu kwabo bonke ababephambi kwami eJerusalema; njalo inhliziyo yami ibonile kakhulu inhlakanipho lolwazi.
I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 Nganginikela inhliziyo yami ukwazi inhlakanipho, lokwazi ukuhlanya lobuthutha, ngabona ukuthi lalokhu yikukhathazeka komoya.
And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
18 Ngoba kunhlakanipho enengi kulokukhathazeka okunengi, lowandisa ulwazi wandisa usizi.
Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
