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 a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but 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 arose.
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 whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his 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 from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
All things [are] full of labour; 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.
The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is 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 [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was 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 former [things; ] neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [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 gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man 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 vexation of spirit.
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 am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart 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 gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
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.
