Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Maneno ya Mhubiri, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme huko Yerusalemu:
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
“Ubatili mtupu! Ubatili mtupu!” Mhubiri anasema. “Ubatili mtupu! Kila kitu ni ubatili.”
3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
4 One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
Upepo huvuma kuelekea kusini na kugeukia kaskazini, hurudia mzunguko huo huo, daima ukirudia njia yake.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
8 All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
9 That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
Kile kilichokuwepo kitakuwepo tena, kile kilichofanyika kitafanyika tena, hakuna kilicho kipya chini ya jua.
10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
Kuna kitu chochote ambacho mtu anaweza kusema, “Tazama! Kitu hiki ni kipya”? Kilikuwepo tangu zamani za kale, kilikuwepo kabla ya wakati wetu.
11 There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
Hakuna kumbukumbu ya watu wa zamani, hata na wale ambao hawajaja bado hawatakumbukwa na wale watakaofuata baadaye.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Mimi, Mhubiri, nilikuwa mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
Nilitumia muda wangu wote kujifunza na kuvumbua kwa hekima yote yanayofanyika chini ya mbingu. Jinsi gani Mungu ameweka mzigo mzito juu ya wanadamu!
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Nimeshaona mambo yote yanayotendeka chini ya jua, hayo yote ni ubatili, hii ni kukimbiza upepo.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is lacking cannot be counted.
Kilichopindika hakiwezi kunyooshwa, kile ambacho hakipo haiwezekani kukihesabu.
16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
Niliwaza mwenyewe, “Tazama, nimekua na kuongezeka katika hekima kuliko yeyote aliyewahi kutawala Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Nimekuwa na uzoefu mkubwa wa hekima na maarifa.”
17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
