Ecclesiastes 4
1 And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.
Kisha tena nikafikiri kuhusu mateso yote yaliyo chini ya jua. Tazama machozi ya watu walioteswa. Hakuna anaye mfariji kwa ajili yao. Nguvu iko katika mikononi mwa watesaji, lakini wateswaji hawana mfariji.
2 Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;
Hivyo nikawapongeza watu walio kufa, wale ambao tayari wamekufa, sio wanaoishi, wale ambao wako hai.
3 and more fortunate than both is he who hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ingawa, bahati zaidi kuliko wote wawili ni yule ambaye hajaishi, yeye ambaye hajaona matendo yoyote mabaya ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua.
4 And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
Kisha nikaona kwamba kila tendo la kazi na kila kazi ya utashi ikawa wivu wa jirani ya mtu. Huu pia ni mvuke na kujaribu kuchunga upepo.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Mpumbavu hukunja mikono yake na hafanyi kazi, hivyo chakula chake in mwili wake.
6 Better is a handful with quietness, than both hands full with labour and pursuit of the wind.
Lakini afadhari konzi ya faida pamoja na kazi ya haraka kuliko konzi mbili pamoja na kazi ambayo hujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
7 And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Kisha nikafikiri tena zaidi kuhusu ubatili, mvuke upoteao zaidi chini ya jua.
8 There is one [alone] and without a second; also he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], For whom then am I labouring, and depriving my soul of good? This also is vanity and a grievous occupation.
Kuna aina ya mtu ambaye yuko peke yake. Hana mtu, hana mwana, wala ndugu. Hakuna mwisho wa kazi zake zote, na macho yake hayatosheki kwa kupata utajiri. Anashangaa, “Ninajishumbua na kuharibu furaha yangu kwa ajili ya nani?” Huu pia ni mvuke, hali mbaya.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Watu wawili wanafanya vizuri zaidi ya mmoja; kwa pamoja wanaweza kupata malipo mazuri kwa ajili ya kazi yao.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and who hath not another to lift him up!
Kwa kuwa kama mmoja akianguka, mwingine anaweza kumwinua rafiki yake. Ingawa, huzuni humfuata yeye aliye peke yake anapoanguka kama hakuna mtu wa kumwinua.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?
Na kama wawili wakilala pamoja, wanaweza kupata joto, lakini mtu mmoja anawezaje kupata joto akiwa mwenyewe?
12 And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Mtu akiwa peke yake anaweza kushindwa nguvu, lakini wawili wanaweza kusimama katika shambulio, na kama ya nyuzi tatu haikatika upesi.
13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth no more how to be admonished.
Ni bora kuwa kijana masikini kuliko kuwa mfalme mzee na mpumbavu ambaye hajui jinsi ya kusikiliza maonyo.
14 For out of the prison-house he came forth to reign, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
Hii ni kweli hata kama mtu mdogo anapokuwa mfalme kutoka gerezani, au hata kama alizaliwa masikini katika ufalme wake.
15 I saw all the living that walk under the sun, with the child, the second, that should stand up in his stead.
Ingawa, niliona kila mmoja aliye kuwa hai na kuzunguka chini ya jua wakijitia chini kwa kijana mdogo aliyeinuka kama mfalme.
16 [There is] no end of all the people, of all that stood before them; those however that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.
Hakuna mwisho kwa watu wote wanaotaka kumtii mfalme mpya, lakini wengi wao hawatamsifu yeye. Hakika hali hii ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
