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.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all is vanity.
3 Kuyinzuzoni emuntwini emtshikatshikeni wakhe wonke awutshikatshika ngaphansi kwelanga?
What profit hath man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?
4 Isizukulwana siyedlula, lesizukulwana size, kodwa umhlaba umi kuze kube nininini.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.
5 Lelanga liyaphuma, lelanga litshone, litshetshela endaweni lapho eliphuma khona.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
6 Umoya uya eningizimu, ujikele enyakatho, ujikajike uhambe, lomoya ubuyele ekubhodeni kwawo.
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 Yonke imifula iya olwandle, kodwa ulwandle kalugcwali; endaweni lapho imifula evela khona, ibuyele iye khona.
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 ziyadinisa; kakulamuntu olakho ukukukhuluma. Ilihlo kalisuthi ngokubona, lendlebe kayigcwaliswa yikuzwa.
All things are full of toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Okwake kwaba khona yilokho okuzakuba khona, lokwake kwenziwa yilokho okuzakwenziwa; njalo kakulalutho 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 Kungaba khona ulutho yini okungathiwa ngalo: Khangela, lokhu kutsha! Kwakuvele kukhona endulo engaphambi kwethu.
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 Kakukho ukukhunjulwa kwezinto zakuqala; njalo lezinto ezizayo ezizakuba khona kakuyikuba khona ukukhunjulwa kwazo lalabo abazakuba khona emva kwalokho.
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 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 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 Ngiyibonile yonke imisebenzi eyenziwayo ngaphansi kwelanga; khangela-ke, konke kuyize lokukhathazeka komoya.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
15 Okugobileyo kakulakuqondiswa; lokuswelekayo kakulakubalwa.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot 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 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 Nganginikela inhliziyo yami ukwazi inhlakanipho, lokwazi ukuhlanya lobuthutha, ngabona ukuthi lalokhu yikukhathazeka komoya.
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 Ngoba kunhlakanipho enengi kulokukhathazeka okunengi, lowandisa ulwazi wandisa usizi.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
