Mhubiri 1
1 Maneno ya Mhubiri, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme huko Yerusalemu:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Ubatili mtupu! Ubatili mtupu!” Mhubiri anasema. “Ubatili mtupu! Kila kitu ni ubatili.”
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
4 Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
5 Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
6 Upepo huvuma kuelekea kusini na kugeukia kaskazini, hurudia mzunguko huo huo, daima ukirudia njia yake.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
7 Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
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 Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Kile kilichokuwepo kitakuwepo tena, kile kilichofanyika kitafanyika tena, hakuna kilicho kipya chini ya jua.
That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Kuna kitu chochote ambacho mtu anaweza kusema, “Tazama! Kitu hiki ni kipya”? Kilikuwepo tangu zamani za kale, kilikuwepo kabla ya wakati wetu.
Is there a thing whereof men say, See, this is new? it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.
11 Hakuna kumbukumbu ya watu wa zamani, hata na wale ambao hawajaja bado hawatakumbukwa na wale watakaofuata baadaye.
There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12 Mimi, Mhubiri, nilikuwa mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Nilitumia muda wangu wote kujifunza na kuvumbua kwa hekima yote yanayofanyika chini ya mbingu. Jinsi gani Mungu ameweka mzigo mzito juu ya wanadamu!
And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
14 Nimeshaona mambo yote yanayotendeka chini ya jua, hayo yote ni ubatili, hii ni kukimbiza upepo.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 Kilichopindika hakiwezi kunyooshwa, kile ambacho hakipo haiwezekani kukihesabu.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 Niliwaza mwenyewe, “Tazama, nimekua na kuongezeka katika hekima kuliko yeyote aliyewahi kutawala Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Nimekuwa na uzoefu mkubwa wa hekima na maarifa.”
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17 Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
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 Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
