Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
Kwa kuwa kila kitu na wakati wake, na majira kwa kila kusudi chini ya mbingu.
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Kuna wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kung'oa yaliyopandwa,
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomo na wakati wa kujenga.
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Kuna wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati kucheza,
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
wakati wa kutupa mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia watu wengine wakati wa kutokumbatia.
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Kuna wakati wa kutafuta vitu na wakati wa kutotafuta, wakati wa kutunza vitu na wakati wa kuvitupa,
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
wakati kuchana mavazi na wakati wa kuyashona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza.
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Kuna wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.
9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
Ni faida gani mfanyakazi aipatayo katika kazi yake?
10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
Nimeona kazi ambayo Mungu amewapa wanadamu kuitimiza.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
Mungu amefanya kila kitu kufaa kwa wakati wake. Pia ameweka umilele ndani ya mioyo yao. Lakini mwanadamu hawezi kuelewa matendo ambayo Mungu ameyafanya, tangu mwanzo wao hadi mwisho.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
Ninajua kuwa hakuna kilicho bora kwa mtu yeyote kuliko kufurahi na kutenda mema maadamu anaishi-
13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
na kwamba kila mmoja anapaswa ale na kunywa na anapaswa kuelewa jinsi ya kufurahia mazuri ambayo yanatoka katika kazi zake zote. Hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu.
14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
Ninajua kwamba chochote afanyacho Mungu kinadumu milele. Hakuna kinaweza kuongezwa au kuondolea, kwa sababu Mungu ndiye aliyekifanya, ili kwamba watu wamsogelee kwa heshima.
15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
Chochote kilichopo kimekwisha kuwepo; chochote kitakachokuwepo kimekwisha kuwepo. Mungu huwafanya wanadamu kutafuka vitu vilivyjificha.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
Na nimeona kwamba chini ya jua ubaya upo mahali palipopaswa kuwa na haki, na sehemu ya haki mara nyingi ina ubaya.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atahukumu mwenye haki na mbaya kwa wakati muafaka kwa kila jambo na kila tendo.
18 I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Mungu huwajaribu wanadamu kuwaonyesha kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.”
19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
Kwa kuwa mwisho watoto wa wanadamu na mwisho wa wanyama ni sawa. Kifo cha mmoja ni sawa na kifo cha mwingine. Wote wana pumzi sawa. Hakuna faida kwa mwanadamu zaidi ya wanyama. Kwa kuwa hakuna kila kitu isipokuwa pumzi?
20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Kila kitu kinaenda sehemu moja. Kila kitu kinatoka mavumbini, na kila kitu kinarudi katika mavumbini.
21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mwanadamu inaenda juu na roho ya wanyama inaenda chini ya nchi?
22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
kwa hiyo tena nikatambua kwamba hakuna lililo jema kwa yeyote zaidi ya kufurahia kazi yake, kwa kuwa hilo ndilo jukumu lake. Ni nani awezaye kumleta tena kuona kinachotokea baada yake?
