Mhubiri 1
1 Maneno ya Mhubiri, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme huko Yerusalemu:
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Ubatili mtupu! Ubatili mtupu!” Mhubiri anasema. “Ubatili mtupu! Kila kitu ni ubatili.”
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labor that he labors at under the sun?
4 Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.
5 Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
Also, the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in, and to its place panting it is rising there.
6 Upepo huvuma kuelekea kusini na kugeukia kaskazini, hurudia mzunguko huo huo, daima ukirudia njia yake.
Going to the south, and turning around to the north, turning around, turning around, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind has returned.
7 Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
All the streams are going to the sea, and the sea is not full; to a place to where the streams are going, there they are turning back to go.
8 Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear filled from hearing.
9 Kile kilichokuwepo kitakuwepo tena, kile kilichofanyika kitafanyika tena, hakuna kilicho kipya chini ya jua.
What [is] that which has been? It [is] that which is, and what [is] that which has been done? It [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely 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.
There is a thing of which [one] says: “See this, it [is] new!” Already it has been in the ages that were before us!
11 Hakuna kumbukumbu ya watu wa zamani, hata na wale ambao hawajaja bado hawatakumbukwa na wale watakaofuata baadaye.
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 Mimi, Mhubiri, nilikuwa mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
I, a preacher, have been 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 have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that has been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God has given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 Nimeshaona mambo yote yanayotendeka chini ya jua, hayo yote ni ubatili, hii ni kukimbiza upepo.
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit!
15 Kilichopindika hakiwezi kunyooshwa, kile ambacho hakipo haiwezekani kukihesabu.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to 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 spoke with my heart, saying, “I, behold, have magnified and added wisdom above everyone who has been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart has seen wisdom and knowledge abundantly.
17 Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit;
18 Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
for in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who adds knowledge adds pain.”
