Mhubiri 1
1 Haya ni maneno ya Mwalimu, mwana wa Daudi na mfalme katika Yerusalemu.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Mwalimu asema hivi, “Kama mvuke wa ukungu, kama upepo mwanana katika upepo, kila kitu hutoweka na kuacha maswali mengi.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 Ni faida gani wanadamu huipata kutoka katika kazi zote wazifanyazo chini ya jua?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 Kizazi kimoja huenda, na kizazi kingine huja, lakini nchi yabaki milele.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 Jua huchomoza na jua huzama na kwenda kwa kasi, na kurudi mahali linapochomozea tena.
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 Upepo huvuma kusini na huzunguka kasikazi, na mara zote ukizunguka katika njia yake na kurudi tena.
Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
7 Mito yote hutiririka katika bahari, lakini bahari haijai. Mahali mito inakoenda, ndiko inakoenda tena.
All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8 Kila kitu huwa uchovu, na hakuna yeyote awezae kukielezea. Jicho halishibina kile linachokiona, wala sikio halishibi na kile linachosikia.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
9 Chochote kilichopo ndicho kitakachokuwepo, kila kilichofanyika ndicho kitakachofanyika. Hakuna jipya chini ya jua.
What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10 Je kuna jambo lolote ambalo watu wanaweza kusema, 'Tazama, hili ni jipya'? Chochote kilichopo kimekwisha kuwepo muda mwingi, wakati uliokuwepo kabla yetu.
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
11 Hakuna anayeonekana kukumbuka kilichotokea nyakati za zamani. Na mambo yaliyo tokea siku zilizo pita na yale yatakayo tokea siku za mbele nayo hayatakumbukwa.”
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 ni mwalimu, na nimekuwa mfalme juu ya Isareli katika Yerusalemu.
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Nilitia akili yangu katika kusoma na kutafuta kwa hekima kila kitu kinachofanywa chini ya mbingu. Hili nalo ni jukumu zito ambalo Mungu amewapa wana wa watu kujishughulisha nalo.
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 Nimeona matendo yote ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua, na tazama yote ni mvuke ni kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 Palipopinda hapawezi kunyoshwa! Kisicho kuwepo hakiwezi kuhesabiwa!
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16 Nimeuambia moyo wangu nikisema, “Tazama, nimepata hekima kubwa kuliko walioishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Akili yangu imeona hekima kubwa na ufahamu.”
I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
17 nimetia moyo wangu kujua hekima na upumbuvu na ujinga. Nikagundua kuwa hili nalo pia lilikuwa ni kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 Kwa kuwa katika wingi wa hekima kuna masumbufu mengi, naye aongezae ujuzi, aongeza masikitiko.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
