Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
Kisha tena nikafikiri kuhusu mateso yote yaliyo chini ya jua. Tazama machozi ya watu walioteswa. Hakuna anaye mfariji kwa ajili yao. Nguvu iko katika mikononi mwa watesaji, lakini wateswaji hawana mfariji.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
Hivyo nikawapongeza watu walio kufa, wale ambao tayari wamekufa, sio wanaoishi, wale ambao wako hai.
3 Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ingawa, bahati zaidi kuliko wote wawili ni yule ambaye hajaishi, yeye ambaye hajaona matendo yoyote mabaya ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua.
4 Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Kisha nikaona kwamba kila tendo la kazi na kila kazi ya utashi ikawa wivu wa jirani ya mtu. Huu pia ni mvuke na kujaribu kuchunga upepo.
5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
Mpumbavu hukunja mikono yake na hafanyi kazi, hivyo chakula chake in mwili wake.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
Lakini afadhari konzi ya faida pamoja na kazi ya haraka kuliko konzi mbili pamoja na kazi ambayo hujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Kisha nikafikiri tena zaidi kuhusu ubatili, mvuke upoteao zaidi chini ya jua.
8 There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.
Kuna aina ya mtu ambaye yuko peke yake. Hana mtu, hana mwana, wala ndugu. Hakuna mwisho wa kazi zake zote, na macho yake hayatosheki kwa kupata utajiri. Anashangaa, “Ninajishumbua na kuharibu furaha yangu kwa ajili ya nani?” Huu pia ni mvuke, hali mbaya.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
Watu wawili wanafanya vizuri zaidi ya mmoja; kwa pamoja wanaweza kupata malipo mazuri kwa ajili ya kazi yao.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.
Kwa kuwa kama mmoja akianguka, mwingine anaweza kumwinua rafiki yake. Ingawa, huzuni humfuata yeye aliye peke yake anapoanguka kama hakuna mtu wa kumwinua.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?
Na kama wawili wakilala pamoja, wanaweza kupata joto, lakini mtu mmoja anawezaje kupata joto akiwa mwenyewe?
12 And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Mtu akiwa peke yake anaweza kushindwa nguvu, lakini wawili wanaweza kusimama katika shambulio, na kama ya nyuzi tatu haikatika upesi.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.
Ni bora kuwa kijana masikini kuliko kuwa mfalme mzee na mpumbavu ambaye hajui jinsi ya kusikiliza maonyo.
14 For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
Hii ni kweli hata kama mtu mdogo anapokuwa mfalme kutoka gerezani, au hata kama alizaliwa masikini katika ufalme wake.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.
Ingawa, niliona kila mmoja aliye kuwa hai na kuzunguka chini ya jua wakijitia chini kwa kijana mdogo aliyeinuka kama mfalme.
16 There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Hakuna mwisho kwa watu wote wanaotaka kumtii mfalme mpya, lakini wengi wao hawatamsifu yeye. Hakika hali hii ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
