Ecclesiastes 1
1 Ọ̀rọ̀ Oniwaasu, ọmọ Dafidi, ọba Jerusalẹmu:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 “Asán inú asán!” Oníwàásù náà wí pé, “Asán inú asán! Gbogbo rẹ̀ asán ni.”
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 Kí ni ènìyàn rí jẹ ní èrè lórí gbogbo iṣẹ́ rẹ̀, lórí èyí tí ó ń ṣe wàhálà sí lábẹ́ oòrùn?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 Bí ìran kan ti wá ni ìran mìíràn ń kọjá lọ, síbẹ̀ ayé dúró títí láé.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 Oòrùn ń ràn, oòrùn sì ń wọ̀, ó sì sáré padà sí ibi tí ó ti yọ.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
6 Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́ lọ sí ìhà gúúsù, Ó sì ń fẹ́ yípo sí ìhà àríwá, a sì tún padà sí ọ̀nà rẹ̀.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
7 Gbogbo odò ń sàn sí inú Òkun, síbẹ̀síbẹ̀ Òkun kò kún. Níbi tí àwọn odò ti wá, níbẹ̀ ni wọ́n tún padà sí.
All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 Ohun gbogbo ni ó ń mú àárẹ̀ wá, ju èyí tí ẹnu le è sọ. Ojú kò tí ì rí ìrírí tí ó tẹ́ ẹ lọ́rùn, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni, etí kò tí ì kún fún gbígbọ́.
All things are full of labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.
9 Ohun tí ó ti wà tẹ́lẹ̀ náà ni yóò sì máa wà, ohun tí a ti ṣe sẹ́yìn òun ni a ó tún máa ṣe padà kò sí ohun tuntun lábẹ́ oòrùn.
What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Ǹjẹ́ ohun kan wà tí ẹnìkan le è sọ wí pé, “Wò ó! Ohun tuntun ni èyí”? Ó ti wà tẹ́lẹ̀ rí ní ọjọ́ tó ti pẹ́, o ti wà ṣáájú tiwa.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us.
11 Kò sí ìrántí ohun ìṣáájú bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ìrántí kì yóò sí fún ohun ìkẹyìn tí ń bọ̀ lọ́dọ̀ àwọn tí ń bọ̀ ní ìgbà ìkẹyìn.
There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 Èmi, Oniwaasu ti jẹ ọba lórí Israẹli ní Jerusalẹmu rí.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Mo fi àsìkò mi sílẹ̀ láti kọ́ àti láti ṣe àwárí pẹ̀lú ọgbọ́n, gbogbo ohun tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀ lábẹ́ ọ̀run. Háà! Ẹrù wúwo tí Ọlọ́run ti gbé lé àwọn ènìyàn.
And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 Èmi ti rí ohun gbogbo tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀ lábẹ́ oòrùn, gbogbo rẹ̀ kò ní ìtumọ̀ bí ẹní gbìyànjú àti mú afẹ́fẹ́ ni.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 Ohun tí ó ti wọ́ kò le è ṣe é tọ́ mọ́, ohun tí kò sí kò le è ṣe é kà.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered.
16 Mo rò nínú ara mi, “Wò ó, mo ti dàgbà, ọgbọ́n mi sì ti pọ̀ ju ti ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó ti ṣe alákòóso Jerusalẹmu síwájú mi lọ, mo ti ní ìrírí púpọ̀ nípa ọgbọ́n àti ìmọ̀.”
I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge.
17 Nígbà náà ni mo fi ara jì láti ní ìmọ̀ nípa ọgbọ́n, àti pàápàá àìgbọ́n àti òmùgọ̀, ṣùgbọ́n mo rí, wí pé èyí pẹ̀lú bí ẹni ń gbìyànjú àti mú afẹ́fẹ́ ni.
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 Nítorí pé ọgbọ́n púpọ̀ ìbànújẹ́ púpọ̀ ní ń mú wá, bí ìmọ̀ bá sì ṣe pọ̀ tó náà ni ìbànújẹ́ ń pọ̀ tó.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
