Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights, and enjoy good things. And I saw that this also was vanity.
Nikasema moyoni, “Njoo, na nitakujaribu kwa kwa furaha. Kwa hiyo furahia.” Lakini tazama, huu nao ulikuwa ni upepo wa muda.
2 Laughter I counted error: and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived?
Nikasema juu ya kicheko, “Ni wazimu,” na kuhusu furaha, “Yafaa nini?”
3 I thought in my heart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might turn my mind to wisdom, and might avoid folly, till I might see what was profitable for the children of men: and what they ought to do under the sun, all 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 made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,
Nilitimiza mambo makubwa. Nilijenga nyumba kwa ajili yangu na kupanda miti ya mizabibu.
5 I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds,
Nilitengeneza bustani na viwanja; nikapanda aina zote za matunda ndani yake.
6 And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,
Nikatengeneza mabwawa ya maji ili kumwagilia msitu mahali miti ilikuwa imepandwa.
7 I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that 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 heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings, and provinces: I made me singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and vessels to serve to pour out 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 riches all that were before me in Jerusalem: my wisdom also remained with me.
Hivyo nikawa mkuu na tajiri kuliko wote waliokuwa Yerusalemu kabla yangu, na hekima yangu ilikuwa ndani yangu.
10 And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labour.
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 And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting 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 passed further to behold wisdom, and errors and folly, (What is man, said I, that he can follow the King his maker?)
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 excelled folly, as much as light differeth 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: the fool walketh in darkness: and I learned that they were to die both alike.
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 the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me, that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? And speaking with my own mind, I perceived that this also was vanity.
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 shall be no remembrance of the wise no more than of the fool for ever, and the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion: the learned dieth in like manner as 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 therefore I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and vexation of 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 hated all my application wherewith I had earnestly laboured under the sun, being like to have 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 Whom I know not whether he will be a wise man or a fool, and he shall have rule over all my labours with which I have laboured and been solicitous: and is there any thing so vain?
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 Wherefore I left off and my heart renounced labouring any more under the sun.
Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi zote nilizozifanya chini ya jua.
21 For when a man laboureth in wisdom, and knowledge, and carefulness, he leaveth what he hath gotten to an idle man: so this also is vanity, and a great evil.
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 what profit shall a man have of all his labour, and vexation of spirit, with which he bath 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 axe full of sorrows and miseries, even in the night he doth not rest in mind: and is not this vanity?
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 shew his soul good things of his labours? 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 Who shall so feast and abound with delights as I?
Kwa kuwa ni nani anaweza kula au anaweza kupata furaha yoyote tofauti na Mungu?
26 God hath given to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he hath given vexation, and superfluous care, to heap up and to gather together, and to give it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanity, and a fruitless solicitude 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.
