1Rangarirawo Musiki wako pamazuva ovujaya bwako, mazuva akaipa asati asvika, namakore asati avapo; panguva yauchazoti handifariri izvozvo;
1And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2zuva nechiedza, nomwedzi, nenyeredzi zvisati zvasvibiswa, makore achidzoka kana mvura yapfuura;
2before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3zuva iro, kana vatariri veimba vachidedera, varume vane simba vachikotama, vakuyi vachirega basa ravo, nekuti vava vashoma; navanotarira napamahwindo vasvibirwa;
3in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
4mikova ichizarirwa inobudira kunzira dzokumusha, nenzwi rokukuya richidedera; kana achimuka nenzwi reshiri, navaimbi vose vasinganzwiki zvakanaka.
4and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5Zvirokwazvo vachatya zvakakwirira, nezvinotyisa zvichanzi zviri panzira; muamanda uchatumbuka maruva, nemhashu ichazvikwekweredza, uye kuda kose kuchapera; nekuti munhu anoenda kumusha wake usingaperi, vachemi vachafamba-famba panzira dzomumusha;
5they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets;)
6rwonzi rwesirivha rusati rwasunungurwa, mbiya yendarama isati yaputswa, chirongo chisati chaputswa patsime, nechichereso chinomonerwa chisati chavhunikira pachitubu,
6-- before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;
7guruva risati radzokera kuvhu, sezvarakanga rakaita; uye mweya usati wadzokera kuna Mwari akaupa.
7and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8Zvanzi noMuparidzi, Hazvina maturo chose, zvose hazvina maturo!
8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.
9Zvino, Muparidzi zvaakanga ari munhu akachenjera, akapfuura achidzidzisa vanhu zivo; akarangarira, nokunzvera, nokurongedza zvirevo zvizhinji.
9And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10Muparidzi wakatsvaka kuti awane mashoko anofadza, uye zvakanyorwa nomoyo wakarurama, ari mashoko ezvokwadi.
10The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.
11Mashoko avakachenjera akafanana nezvibayiso; sembambo dzakaroverwa kwazvo, ndizvo zvakaita mashoko akaunganidzwa, akapiwa noMufudzi mumwechete.
11The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
12Uyezve, mwanakomana wangu, unyeverwe; kuita bhuku zhinji hakuperi, uye kudzidza kuzhinji kunonetsa muviri.
12And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13Zvino magumo eshoko rose ranzwikwa ndirori: Itya Mwari, uchengete mirairo yake; nekuti ndizvo zvakafanira vanhu vose.
13Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
14nekuti Mwari achatonga basa rimwe nerimwe, pamwechete nezvose zvakavanzika, kunyange zvakanaka, kunyange zvakaipa.
14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.