Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
Jina zuri ni bora kuliko manukato ya gharama, na siku ya kufa ni bora kuliko siku ya kuzaliwa.
2 It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
Ni bora kwenda kwenye nyumba ya maombolezo kuliko nyumba ya karamu, kwa kuwa maombolezo huja kwa watu wote wakati wa mwisho wa uhai, kwa hiyo watu wanaoishi ni lazima waweke hili moyoni.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
Huzuni ni bora kuliko kicheko, kwa kuwa baada ya uso wa huzuni huja furaha ya moyo.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
Moyo wa mwenye hekima uko katika nyumba ya maombolezo, lakini moyo wa wapumbavu uko katika nyumba ya karamu.
5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
Ni bora kusikiliza maonyo ya mtu mwenye hekima kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
6 For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
Kwa kuwa kama mlio wa miiba chini ya chungu, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Huu pia ni mvuke.
7 Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
kweli jeuri humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, na rusha huharibu moyo.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
Ni heri mwisho wa jambo kuliko mwanzo; na watu wenye uvumilivu ni bora kuliko wenye majivuno rohoni.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
Usikasirike haraka rohoni mwako, kwa sababu hasira hukaa katika mioyo ya wapumbavu.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
Usiseme, “Kwa nini siku za zamani zilikuwa bora kuliko siku hizi?” Kwa kuwa sio kwa sababu ya hekima kwamba unauliza swali hili.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
Hekima ni njema kama vitu vya thamani tunavyorithi kutoka kwa wazazi wetu. Inatoa faida kwa wale wanaoliona jua.
12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
Kwa kuwa hekima hutoa ulinzi kama vile fedha inavyoweza kutoa ulinzi, lakini faida ya maarifa ni kwamba hekima humpa uhai kwa yeyote aliye nayo.
13 Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
Tafakaria matendo ya Mungu: Ni nani awezaye kuimarisha chochote alichokipindisha?
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
Wakati nyakati vinakuwa njema, ishi kwa furaha katika hali hiyo, lakini wakati unapokuwa mbaya, tafakari hili: Mungu ameruhusu hali zote ziwepo, Kwa sababu hii, hakuna mwanadamu yeyote atakaye fahamu chochote kinacho kuja baada yake.
15 In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
Nimeona mambo mengi katika siku zangu za ubatili. Kuna watu wenye haki ambao wanaangamia licha ya kwamba wana haki, na kuna watu waovu wanaoishi maisha marefu licha ya kwamba ni waovu.
16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Usiwe mwenye haki katika macho yako mwenyewe. Kwa nini kujiharibu mwenyewe?
17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Usiwe mwovu sana au mpumbavu. Kwa nini ufe kabla ya wakati wako?
18 It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
Ni vyema kwamba ushike hekima hii, na kwamba usiache haki iende zake. Kwa kuwa mtu amchae Mungu atatimiza ahadi zake zote.
19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Hekima ina nguvu ndani ya mwenye hekima, zaidi ya watawala kumi katika mji.
20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Hakuna mtu mwenye haki juu ya nchi anayefanya mema na hatendi dhambi.
21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
Usisikilize kila neno linaongelewa, kwa sababu unaweza kusikia mtumishi wako anakulaani.
22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
Vivyo hivyo unafahamu mwenyewe ndani ya moyo wako umewalaani wengine mara kadhaa.
23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
Haya yote nimeyathibitisha kwa hekima. Nikasema, “nitakuwa mwenye hekima,” lakini zaidi ambavyo ningekuwa.
24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
Hekima i mbali na kina sana. Ni nani awezaye kuipata?
25 I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
Nikageuza moyo wangu kujifunza kuchunguza na kutafuta hekima na ufafanuzi wa ukweli, na kufahamu kwamba ubaya ni ujinga na kwamba upumbavu ni wazimu.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
Nikapata kufahamu kwamba uchungu kuliko kifo, ndivo alivyo mwanamke yeyote ambaye moyo wake umejaa mitego, na nyavu, na ambaye mikono yake ni minyororo. Yeyote ampendezaye Mungu ataponyoka kutoka kwake, lakini mwenye dhambi atachukuliwa naye.
27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
“Tafakari kile nilichovumbua,” asema Mwalimu. “Nimekuwa nikiongeza uvumbuzi mmoja hadi mwingine ili kwamba nipate ufafanuzi wa ukweli.
28 While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
Hii ndiyo bado natafuta, lakini bado sijapata. Sikupata mwanamme mmoja mwenye haki miongoni mwa elfu, lakini sikupata mwanamke miongoni mwa wale wote.
29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Nimegundua hili: kwamba Mungu alimuumba binadamu akiwa mnyoofu, lakini wametoka katika hali ya unyofu wakitafuta magumu mengi.
