Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.
Kuna wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, nayo majira kwa kila tendo chini ya mbingu:
2 A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;
wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kungʼoa yaliyopandwa,
3 A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;
wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomoa, na wakati wa kujenga,
4 A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati wa kucheza,
5 A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing;
wakati wa kutawanya mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia na wakati wa kutokumbatia,
6 A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;
wakati wa kutafuta na wakati wa kupoteza, wakati wa kuweka na wakati wa kutupa,
7 A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;
wakati wa kurarua na wakati wa kushona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza,
8 A time for love and a time for hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.
9 What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
Mfanyakazi anapata faida gani kutokana na taabu yake?
10 I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
Nimeona mzigo Mungu alioweka juu ya wanadamu.
11 He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.
Amefanya kila kitu kiwe kizuri kwa wakati wake. Pia ameiweka hiyo milele katika mioyo ya wanadamu, wala hawawezi kutambua kwa kina yale ambayo Mungu amefanya tangu mwanzo hadi mwisho.
12 I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
Ninajua kwamba hakuna kitu bora kwa wanadamu kuliko kuwa na furaha na kutenda mema wakati wanapoishi.
13 And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
Tena ni karama ya Mungu kila mtu apate kula na kunywa na kujiburudisha kwa mema katika kazi yake yote.
14 I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
Ninajua kwamba kila kitu anachokifanya Mungu kitadumu milele, hakuna kinachoweza kuongezwa au kupunguzwa. Mungu hufanya hivyo ili watu wamche yeye.
15 Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
Chochote kilichopo kilishakuwepo, na kitakachokuwepo kimekwishakuwepo kabla; naye Mungu huyaita yale yaliyopita yarudi tena.
16 And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
Pia nikaona kitu kingine tena chini ya jua: Mahali pa kutolea hukumu, uovu ulikuwepo, mahali pa kupatia haki, uovu ulikuwepo.
17 I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atawaleta hukumuni wote wawili wenye haki na waovu, kwa maana kutakuwako na wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, wakati kwa ajili ya kila tendo.”
18 I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
Pia nikafikiri, “Kuhusu wanadamu, Mungu huwajaribu ili wajione kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.
19 Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
Hatima ya mwanadamu ni kama ile ya wanyama; wote wana mwisho unaofanana: Jinsi anavyokufa mnyama, ndivyo anavyokufa mwanadamu. Wote wana pumzi inayofanana; mwanadamu hana cha zaidi kuliko mnyama. Kila kitu ni ubatili.
20 All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
Wote huenda mahali panapofanana; wote hutoka mavumbini, mavumbini wote hurudi.
21 Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mtu huenda juu na roho ya mnyama hushuka chini ardhini?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work — because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?
Kwa hiyo nikaona kwamba hakuna kitu kilicho bora zaidi kwa mwanadamu kuliko kuifurahia kazi yake, kwa sababu hilo ndilo fungu lake. Kwa maana ni nani awezaye kumrudisha ili aje kuona kile kitakachotendeka baada yake?
