Ecclesiastes 12
1 And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [thee] in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
Mkumbuke Muumba wako siku za ujana wako, kabla hazijaja siku za taabu, wala haijakaribia miaka utakaposema, “Mimi sifurahii hiyo”:
2 While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain:
kabla jua na nuru, nao mwezi na nyota havijatiwa giza, kabla ya kurudi mawingu baada ya mvua;
3 in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;
siku ile walinzi wa nyumba watakapotetemeka, nao watu wenye nguvu watakapojiinamisha, wakati wasagao watakapokoma kwa sababu ya uchache, nao wachunguliao madirishani kutiwa giza;
4 and they shall shut the doors in the market-place, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;
wakati milango ya kuingia barabarani itakapofungwa na sauti ya kusaga kufifia; wakati watu wataamshwa kwa sauti ya ndege, lakini nyimbo zao zote zikififia;
5 and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:
wakati watu watakapoogopa kilichoinuka juu na hatari zitakazokuwepo barabarani; wakati mlozi utakapochanua maua na panzi kujikokota nawe usiwe na shauku ya kitu chochote. Ndipo mwanadamu aiendea nyumba yake ya milele nao waombolezaji wakizunguka barabarani.
6 before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;
Mkumbuke Muumba wako: kabla haijakatika kamba ya fedha, au bakuli la dhahabu halijavunjika; kabla mtungi kuvunjika kwenye chemchemi, au gurudumu kuvunjika kisimani,
7 [before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.
nayo mavumbi kurudi ardhini yalikotoka, na roho kurudi kwa Mungu aliyeitoa.
8 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.
Mhubiri asema, “Ubatili! Ubatili! Kila kitu ni ubatili!”
9 And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.
Mhubiri hakuwa tu na hekima, bali aliwagawia watu maarifa pia. Alitafakari na kutafiti na akaweka katika utaratibu mithali nyingi.
10 The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.
Mhubiri alitafiti ili kupata maneno sahihi na kila alichoandika kilikuwa sawa na kweli.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.
Maneno ya wenye hekima ni kama mchokoro, mithali zao zilizokusanywa pamoja ni kama misumari iliyogongomewa ikawa imara, yaliyotolewa na Mchungaji mmoja.
12 And moreover, my son, guard thyself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Tena zaidi ya hayo, mwanangu, kubali maonyo, hakuna mwisho wa kutunga vitabu vingi, nako kusoma sana huuchosha mwili.
13 Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.
Hii ndiyo jumla ya maneno; yote yamekwisha sikiwa: Mche Mungu, nawe uzishike amri zake, maana kwa jumla ndiyo impasayo mtu.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
Kwa maana Mungu ataleta hukumuni kila kazi, pamoja na kila neno la siri, likiwa jema au baya.
