Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Haya basi, nitakujaribu kwa anasa nione ni lipi lililo jema.” Lakini hilo nalo likaonekana ni ubatili.
2 Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”
Nikasema, “Kicheko nacho ni upumbavu. Nayo matokeo ya anasa ni nini?”
3 I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.
Nikajaribu kujifurahisha kwa mvinyo na kukumbatia upumbavu, huku bado akili yangu inaniongoza kwa hekima. Nilitaka kuona ni lipi bora watu wafanye kwa siku chache wanazoishi chini ya mbingu.
4 I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
Nikafanya miradi mikubwa: Nikajijengea majumba na kulima mashamba ya mizabibu.
5 I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
Nikatengeneza bustani na viwanja vya starehe nikaotesha huko kila aina ya miti ya matunda.
6 And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
Nikajenga mabwawa ya kukusanya maji ya kunyweshea hii miti iliyokuwa inastawi vizuri.
7 I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
Nikanunua watumwa wa kiume na wa kike na watumwa wengine walizaliwa nyumbani mwangu. Pia nilikuwa na makundi ya ngʼombe, kondoo na mbuzi kuliko mtu yeyote aliyewahi kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu.
8 I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.
Nikajikusanyia fedha na dhahabu, hazina za wafalme na za majimbo. Nikajipatia waimbaji wanaume na wanawake, nazo nyumba za masuria: vitu ambavyo moyo wa mwanadamu hufurahia.
9 And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
Nikawa maarufu sana kuliko mtu mwingine yeyote aliyepata kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Katika haya yote bado nikawa nina hekima.
10 And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.
Sikujinyima kitu chochote ambacho macho yangu yalikitamani, hakuna anasa ambayo niliunyima moyo wangu. Moyo wangu ulifurahia kazi zangu zote, hii ilikuwa thawabu ya kazi zangu zote.
11 But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.
Hata hivyo nilipokuja kuangalia yote ambayo mikono yangu ilikuwa imefanya na yale niliyotaabika kukamilisha, kila kitu kilikuwa ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo; hapakuwa na faida yoyote chini ya jua.
12 I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. “What is man,” I said, “that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?”
Kisha nikageuza mawazo yangu kufikiria hekima, wazimu na upumbavu. Ni nini zaidi mtu anayetawala baada ya mfalme anachoweza kufanya ambacho hakijafanywa?
13 And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
Nikaona kuwa hekima ni bora kuliko upumbavu, kama vile nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
14 The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.
Mtu mwenye hekima ana macho katika kichwa chake, lakini mpumbavu anatembea gizani; lakini nikaja kuona kwamba wote wawili hatima yao inafanana.
15 And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.
Kisha nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Hatima ya mpumbavu itanipata mimi pia. Nitafaidi nini basi kwa kuwa na hekima?” Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Hili nalo ni ubatili.”
16 For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.
Kwa maana kwa mtu mwenye hekima, kama ilivyo kwa mpumbavu, hatakumbukwa kwa muda mrefu, katika siku zijazo wote watasahaulika. Kama vile ilivyo kwa mpumbavu, mtu mwenye hekima pia lazima atakufa!
17 And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.
Kwa hiyo nikachukia maisha, kwa sababu kazi inayofanyika chini ya jua ilikuwa masikitiko kwangu. Yote hayo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,
Nikachukia kila kitu nilichokuwa nimetaabikia chini ya jua, kwa sababu ni lazima nimwachie yule ajaye baada yangu.
19 though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?
Nani ajuaye kama atakuwa ni mtu mwenye hekima au mpumbavu? Lakini hata hivyo yeye ndiye atakayetawala kazi zote ambazo nimemiminia juhudi na ustadi chini ya jua. Hili nalo ni ubatili.
20 Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi yangu yote niliyoifanya kwa taabu chini ya jua.
21 For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.
Kwa kuwa mtu anaweza kufanya kazi yake kwa hekima, maarifa na ustadi, kisha analazimika kuacha vyote alivyo navyo kwa mtu mwingine ambaye hajavifanyia kazi. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili tena ni balaa kubwa.
22 For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?
Mtu atapata nini kwa taabu yote na kuhangaika kwa bidii katika kazi anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
23 All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?
Siku zake zote kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hata usiku akili yake haipati mapumziko. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili.
24 Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
Hakuna kitu bora anachoweza kufanya mtu zaidi ya kula na kunywa na kuridhika katika kazi yake. Hili nalo pia, ninaona, latokana na mkono wa Mungu,
25 So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
kwa sababu pasipo yeye, ni nani awezaye kula na kufurahi?
26 God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.
Kwa yule mtu anayempendeza Mungu, Mungu humpa hekima, maarifa na furaha, bali kwa mwenye dhambi Mungu humpa kazi ya kukusanya na kuhifadhi utajiri ili Mungu ampe yule anayempenda. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
