1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Maneno ya Mhubiri mwana wa Daudi, mfalme katika Yerusalemu.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Mhubiri asema, Ubatili mtupu, ubatili mtupu, mambo yote ni ubatili.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Mtu ana faida gani ya kazi yake yote aifanyayo chini ya jua?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
Kizazi huenda, kizazi huja; nayo dunia hudumu daima.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Jua lachomoza, na jua lashuka, na kufanya haraka kwenda mahali pa maawio yake.
6 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.
Upepo huvuma kusi, hugeuka kuwa kaskazi; hugeuka daima katika mwendo wake, na upepo huyarudia mazunguko yake.
7 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.
Mito yote huingia baharini, walakini bahari haijai; huko iendako mito, ndiko irudiko tena.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Mambo yote yamejaa uchovu usioneneka, jicho halishibi kuona, wala sikio halikinai kusikia.
9 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.
Yaliyokuwako ndiyo yatakayokuwako; na yaliyotendeka ndiyo yatakayotendeka; wala jambo jipya hakuna chini ya jua.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
Je! Kuna jambo lo lote ambalo watu husema juu yake, Tazama, ni jambo jipya? Limekwisha kuwako, tangu zamani za kale zilizokuwa kabla yetu sisi.
11 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.
Hakuna kumbukumbu lo lote la vizazi vilivyotangulia; wala hakutakuwa na kumbukumbu lo lote la vizazi vitakavyokuja, miongoni mwao wale watakaofuata baadaye.
The Vanity of Knowledge
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mimi, Mhubiri, nalikuwa Mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
13 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.
Nikatia moyo wangu ili kuyatafuta yote yanayotendeka chini ya mbingu, na kuyavumbua kwa hekima; ni taabu kubwa ambayo Mungu amewapa wanadamu, ili kutaabika ndani yake.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Nimeziona kazi zote zifanywazo chini ya jua; na, tazama, mambo yote ni ubatili na kujilisha upepo.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Yaliyopotoka hayawezi kunyoshwa, Wala yasiyokuwapo hayahesabiki.
16 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.
Nikatafakari nikisema, Nimejipatia hekima nyingi kupita wote walionitangulia katika Yerusalemu; naam, moyo wangu umeona kwa wingi hekima na maarifa.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
Nikatia moyo wangu ili kuijua hekima, na kujua wazimu na upumbavu; nikatambua ya kwamba hayo yote nayo ni kujilisha upepo.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Yaani, Katika wingi wa hekima mna wingi wa huzuni, Naye aongezaye maarifa huongeza masikitiko.
