¹The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

¹Mashoko oMuparidzi, mwanako­mana waDhavhidhi, mambo paJeru­saremu.

²“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

²Zvanzi noMuparidzi, hazvina ma­turo chose, hazvina maturo chose, zvose hazvina maturo chose!

³What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

³Munhu angaba­tsirweiko nokutambudzika kwake kose, kwaanotambudzika nako pasi pezuva?

⁴One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

⁴Rudzi rumwe runoenda, rumwe ru­dzi runouya; asi pasi panongogarapo nokusingaperi.

⁵The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.

⁵Zuva rinobudawo, zuva rinovira, richikurumidzira kwarinozobu­dazve.

⁶The 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.

⁶Mhepo inoenda zasi, yodzoka yoenda kumusoro; inoramba ichidzoka pakufamba kwayo; mhepo inodzokerazve pakupotereka kwayo.

⁷All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.

⁷Nzizi dzose dzinodira mugungwa, kunyange zvakadaro gungwa harizari; kunzvimbo kunoenda nzizi, ndiko kwa­dzinodzokerazve.

⁸All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

⁸Zvinhu zvose zvi­zere nokuneta; hakuna munhu angazvi­taura; ziso hariguti nokuona, nzeve haizari nokunzwa.

⁹That 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.

⁹Chakanga chiripo, ndicho chichazovapo, chakamboitwa, ndicho chichazoitwa; hapane chinhu chitsva pasi pezuva.

¹⁰Is 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.

¹⁰Chinhu chiriko here, chatingati, Tarirai, chinhu ichi chitvsa? Chakanga chichingovapo kare, panguva dzakatita­ngira.

¹¹There 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.

¹¹Marudzi akapfuura haacharanga­rirwi; namarudzi achazotevera, haangato­ngorangarirwi navanozovatevera.

¹²I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

¹²Ini Muparidzi, ndakanga ndiri ma­mbo waIsiraeri paJerusaremu.

¹³I 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 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “Elohim.” has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

¹³Ndika­rwadza moyo wangu kutsvaka noku­nzvera nouchenjeri zvose zvinoitwa pasi pedenga; ibasa rinotambudza rakapiwa vanakomana vavanhu vaMwari, kuti va­zvitambudze naro.

¹⁴I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

¹⁴Ndakaona mabasa ose anoitwa pasi pezuva; tarirai, zvose hazvina maturo, ndiko kudzingana nemhepo chete.

¹⁵That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.

¹⁵Cha­kakombama hachibviri kururamiswa; chi­noshaikwa hachibviri kuverengwa.

¹⁶I 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.”

¹⁶Ndakataurirana nomoyo wangu, ndichiti, Tarira ndazviwanira uchenjeri hukuru, kukunda vose vakanditangira paJerusaremu;zvirokwazvo moyo wangu wakaona uchenjeri huzhinji nezivo.

¹⁷I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

¹⁷Asi ndakati ndichirwadza moyo wa­ngu kuti ndizive uchenjeri nezivo, noupe­ngo noupenzi, ndikaona kuti naizvozvowo ndiko kudzingana nemhepo chete.

¹⁸For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

¹⁸nekuti muuchenjeri huzhinji munoku­chema kuzhinji; uye anowedzera zivo, anowedzera shungu.