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.
Nikasema moyoni, “Njoo, na nitakujaribu kwa kwa furaha. Kwa hiyo furahia.” Lakini tazama, huu nao ulikuwa ni upepo wa muda.
2 Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”
Nikasema juu ya kicheko, “Ni wazimu,” na kuhusu furaha, “Yafaa 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.
Nikajipeleleza moyoni mwangu katika jinsi ya kutimiza hamu yangu kwa mvinyo. Nikaruhusu akili yangu iongozwe na hekima ingawa bado nilikuwa nikishikilia ujinga. Nilitaka kutafuta jambo lililo jema kwa wanadamu kufanya chini ya mbingu wakati wa siku za maisha yao.
4 I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
Nilitimiza mambo makubwa. Nilijenga nyumba kwa ajili yangu na kupanda miti ya mizabibu.
5 I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
Nilitengeneza bustani na viwanja; nikapanda aina zote za matunda ndani yake.
6 And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
Nikatengeneza mabwawa ya maji ili kumwagilia msitu mahali miti ilikuwa imepandwa.
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.
Nilinunua watumwa wa kiume na wa kiume; nilikuwa na watumwa waliozaliwa katika ikulu yangu. Pia nikawa na makundi makubwa na wanyama wa kufugwa, zaidi ya mfalme yeyote aliyetawala kabla yangu katika Yerusalemu.
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.
Pia nilijikusanyia fedha na dhahabu, hazina ya wafalme na majimbo. Nikapata waimbaji wanaume na wanawake kwa ajili yangu, na kufurahia kutoka kwa wana wa wanadamu, masulia na wanawake.
9 And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
Hivyo nikawa mkuu na tajiri kuliko wote waliokuwa Yerusalemu kabla yangu, na hekima yangu ilikuwa ndani yangu.
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.
Lolote ambalo macho yangu yalikitamani sikuyazuia. Sikuuzuia moyo wangu katika furaha yeyote, kwa sababu moyo wangu ulifurahi katika katka kazi yangu zote na furaha ilikuwa ni tunu kwa 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.
Kisha nikatazama matendo yote ambayo mikono yangu iliyokwisha kuyatimiliza na juu ya kazi niliyokuwa nimeifanya, lakini tena, kila kitu kilikuwa ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo. Hakukuwa na faida 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 nikageuka kuipambanua hekima, na upumbavu na ujinga. Kwa maana ni kitu gani mfalme anayekuja baada yangu afanye, ambacho hakijafanyika?
13 And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
Kisha nikaanza kuelewa kwamba hekima ina faida kuliko upumbavu, kama 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.
Mwenye hekima hutumia macho yake katika kichwa chake kuona mahali anakoenda, lakini mpumbavu hutembea katika giza, ingawa ninafahamu kuwa mwisho wa aina moja umetunzwa kwa kila mmoja.
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 nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Kinachotokea kwa mpumbavu, ndicho kitachotokea na kwangu. Hivyo kuna utofauti gani kama mimi ni mwenye hekima sana?” Nikahitimisha moyoni mwangu, “Huu pia ni mvuke tu.”
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 kuwa mwenye hekima, kama mpumbavu, hakumbukwi kwa muda mrefu. Katika siku zijazo, kila kitu kitakuwa kimesahauliwa. Mwenye hekima hufa kama navyokufa mpumbavu.
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.
Hivyo nikauchukia uhai kwa sababu kazi zote zilizofanyika chini ya jua zilikuwa mbaya kwangu. Hii ni kwa sababu kila kitu ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga 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 yote niliyoyatimiza, ambayo nilikuwa nimekwisha yafanya chini ya jua kwa sababu ni lazima niyaache kwa mtu anaye kuja 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?
Na ni nani ajuaye kama atakuwa mwenye hekima au mpumbavu? Ila atakuwa msimamizi juu ya kila kitu chini ya jua ambayo kazi yangu na hekima yangu imeyajenga. Huu pia ni mvuke.
20 Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi zote nilizozifanya 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 kunaweza kuwa na mtu anayefanya kazi kwa hekima, ufahamu, na umahili, lakini ataacha kila kitu alichonacho kwa mtu ambaye hajafanya chochote. Huu nao ni mvuke na hatari 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?
Kwa maana ni faida gani mtu hupata ambaye hufanya kazi kwa juhudi na kujaribu moyoni mwake kutimiza kazi zake 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?
Kila siku kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hivyo wakati wa usiku roho yake haipumziki. Huu pia ni mvuke.
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 jambo jema kwa mtu yeyote zaidi ya kula na kunywa na kuridhika na kile kilichochema katika kazi yake. Nikaona kwamba ukweli huu unatoka kutoka mkononi mwa Mungu.
25 So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
Kwa kuwa ni nani anaweza kula au anaweza kupata furaha yoyote tofauti na Mungu?
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 kuwa kwa kila anayemfurahisha yeye, Mungu humpa hekimana ufahamu ba furaha. Ingawa, kwa mwenye dhambi humpa kazi ya kukusanya na kutunza ili kwamba ampe mtu anayempendeza Mungu. Huu pia ni sawa na mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
