Ecclesiastes 1
1 Ọ̀rọ̀ Oniwaasu, ọmọ Dafidi, ọba Jerusalẹmu:
The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
2 “Asán inú asán!” Oníwàásù náà wí pé, “Asán inú asán! Gbogbo rẹ̀ asán ni.”
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, 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 profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
4 Bí ìran kan ti wá ni ìran mìíràn ń kọjá lọ, síbẹ̀ ayé dúró títí láé.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
5 Oòrùn ń ràn, oòrùn sì ń wọ̀, ó sì sáré padà sí ibi tí ó ti yọ.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
6 Afẹ́fẹ́ ń fẹ́ lọ sí ìhà gúúsù, Ó sì ń fẹ́ yípo sí ìhà àríwá, a sì tún padà sí ọ̀nà rẹ̀.
Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
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; yet the sea is never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
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 weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear 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.
That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new 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.
If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were 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.
[Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
12 Èmi, Oniwaasu ti jẹ ọba lórí Israẹli ní Jerusalẹmu rí.
I Koheleth 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 directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves 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 saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
15 Ohun tí ó ti wọ́ kò le è ṣe é tọ́ mọ́, ohun tí kò sí kò le è ṣe é kà.
What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective 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 with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much 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 I directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the 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 where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
