Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.
Kwa kuwa kila kitu na wakati wake, na majira kwa kila kusudi chini ya mbingu.
2 A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;
Kuna wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kung'oa 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 kubomo na wakati wa kujenga.
4 A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
Kuna wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati 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 kutupa mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia watu wengine wakati wa kutokumbatia.
6 A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;
Kuna wakati wa kutafuta vitu na wakati wa kutotafuta, wakati wa kutunza vitu na wakati wa kuvitupa,
7 A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;
wakati kuchana mavazi na wakati wa kuyashona, 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.
Kuna 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?
Ni faida gani mfanyakazi aipatayo katika kazi yake?
10 I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
Nimeona kazi ambayo Mungu amewapa wanadamu kuitimiza.
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.
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 am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
Ninajua kuwa hakuna kilicho bora kwa mtu yeyote kuliko kufurahi na kutenda mema maadamu anaishi-
13 And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from 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 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 chochote afanyacho Mungu kinadumu milele. Hakuna kinaweza kuongezwa au kuondolea, kwa sababu Mungu ndiye aliyekifanya, ili kwamba watu wamsogelee kwa heshima.
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 kimekwisha kuwepo; chochote kitakachokuwepo kimekwisha kuwepo. Mungu huwafanya wanadamu kutafuka vitu vilivyjificha.
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.
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 be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atahukumu mwenye haki na mbaya kwa wakati muafaka kwa kila jambo na 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.
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Mungu huwajaribu wanadamu kuwaonyesha 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.
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 of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
Kila kitu kinaenda sehemu moja. Kila kitu kinatoka mavumbini, na kila kitu kinarudi katika mavumbini.
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 mwanadamu inaenda juu na roho ya wanyama inaenda chini ya nchi?
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 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?
