Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a day of birth.
Jina zuri ni bora kuliko manukato ya gharama, na siku ya kufa ni bora kuliko siku ya kuzaliwa.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future.
Ni bora kwenda kwenye nyumba ya maombolezo kuliko nyumba ya karamu, kwa kuwa maombolezo huja kwa watu wote wakati wa mwisho wa uhai, kwa hiyo watu wanaoishi ni lazima waweke hili moyoni.
3 Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.
Huzuni ni bora kuliko kicheko, kwa kuwa baada ya uso wa huzuni huja furaha ya moyo.
4 The heart of the wise is a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.
Moyo wa mwenye hekima uko katika nyumba ya maombolezo, lakini moyo wa wapumbavu uko katika nyumba ya karamu.
5 It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.
Ni bora kusikiliza maonyo ya mtu mwenye hekima kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
6 For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.
Kwa kuwa kama mlio wa miiba chini ya chungu, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Huu pia ni mvuke.
7 A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.
kweli jeuri humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, na rusha huharibu moyo.
8 The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.
Ni heri mwisho wa jambo kuliko mwanzo; na watu wenye uvumilivu ni bora kuliko wenye majivuno rohoni.
9 Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.
Usikasirike haraka rohoni mwako, kwa sababu hasira hukaa katika mioyo ya wapumbavu.
10 You should not say: “What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?” For this type of question is foolish.
Usiseme, “Kwa nini siku za zamani zilikuwa bora kuliko siku hizi?” Kwa kuwa sio kwa sababu ya hekima kwamba unauliza swali hili.
11 Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun.
Hekima ni njema kama vitu vya thamani tunavyorithi kutoka kwa wazazi wetu. Inatoa faida kwa wale wanaoliona jua.
12 For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them.
Kwa kuwa hekima hutoa ulinzi kama vile fedha inavyoweza kutoa ulinzi, lakini faida ya maarifa ni kwamba hekima humpa uhai kwa yeyote aliye nayo.
13 Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.
Tafakaria matendo ya Mungu: Ni nani awezaye kuimarisha chochote alichokipindisha?
14 In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has established the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.
Wakati nyakati vinakuwa njema, ishi kwa furaha katika hali hiyo, lakini wakati unapokuwa mbaya, tafakari hili: Mungu ameruhusu hali zote ziwepo, Kwa sababu hii, hakuna mwanadamu yeyote atakaye fahamu chochote kinacho kuja baada yake.
15 I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice.
Nimeona mambo mengi katika siku zangu za ubatili. Kuna watu wenye haki ambao wanaangamia licha ya kwamba wana haki, na kuna watu waovu wanaoishi maisha marefu licha ya kwamba ni waovu.
16 Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid.
Usiwe mwenye haki katika macho yako mwenyewe. Kwa nini kujiharibu mwenyewe?
17 Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time.
Usiwe mwovu sana au mpumbavu. Kwa nini ufe kabla ya wakati wako?
18 It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.
Ni vyema kwamba ushike hekima hii, na kwamba usiache haki iende zake. Kwa kuwa mtu amchae Mungu atatimiza ahadi zake zote.
19 Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.
Hekima ina nguvu ndani ya mwenye hekima, zaidi ya watawala kumi katika mji.
20 But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin.
Hakuna mtu mwenye haki juu ya nchi anayefanya mema na hatendi dhambi.
21 So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.
Usisikilize kila neno linaongelewa, kwa sababu unaweza kusikia mtumishi wako anakulaani.
22 For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.
Vivyo hivyo unafahamu mwenyewe ndani ya moyo wako umewalaani wengine mara kadhaa.
23 I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: “I will be wise.” And wisdom withdrew farther from me,
Haya yote nimeyathibitisha kwa hekima. Nikasema, “nitakuwa mwenye hekima,” lakini zaidi ambavyo ningekuwa.
24 so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her?
Hekima i mbali na kina sana. Ni nani awezaye kuipata?
25 I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent.
Nikageuza moyo wangu kujifunza kuchunguza na kutafuta hekima na ufafanuzi wa ukweli, na kufahamu kwamba ubaya ni ujinga na kwamba upumbavu ni wazimu.
26 And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.
Nikapata kufahamu kwamba uchungu kuliko kifo, ndivo alivyo mwanamke yeyote ambaye moyo wake umejaa mitego, na nyavu, na ambaye mikono yake ni minyororo. Yeyote ampendezaye Mungu ataponyoka kutoka kwake, lakini mwenye dhambi atachukuliwa naye.
27 Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation
“Tafakari kile nilichovumbua,” asema Mwalimu. “Nimekuwa nikiongeza uvumbuzi mmoja hadi mwingine ili kwamba nipate ufafanuzi wa ukweli.
28 which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found.
Hii ndiyo bado natafuta, lakini bado sijapata. Sikupata mwanamme mmoja mwenye haki miongoni mwa elfu, lakini sikupata mwanamke miongoni mwa wale wote.
29 This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word?
Nimegundua hili: kwamba Mungu alimuumba binadamu akiwa mnyoofu, lakini wametoka katika hali ya unyofu wakitafuta magumu mengi.
