Ecclesiastes 2
1 So then I thought to myself, “Alright, let me examine pleasure and see how good that is.” But this too turned out to be something temporary that passes.
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Haya basi, nitakujaribu kwa anasa nione ni lipi lililo jema.” Lakini hilo nalo likaonekana ni ubatili.
2 I conclude that laughing your way through life is stupid, and pleasure—what use is that?
Nikasema, “Kicheko nacho ni upumbavu. Nayo matokeo ya anasa ni nini?”
3 Then I used my mind to examine the attraction of wine to my body. My mind still guiding me with wisdom, I took it until I acted like a fool, so that I might see whether this was good for people to do during their time here.
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 Then I tried great construction projects. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
Nikafanya miradi mikubwa: Nikajijengea majumba na kulima mashamba ya mizabibu.
5 I made for myself gardens and parks, planting them with all kinds of fruit trees.
Nikatengeneza bustani na viwanja vya starehe nikaotesha huko kila aina ya miti ya matunda.
6 I constructed for myself reservoirs to water all these growing trees.
Nikajenga mabwawa ya kukusanya maji ya kunyweshea hii miti iliyokuwa inastawi vizuri.
7 I bought male and female slaves, and their children also belonged to me. I also owned many herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
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 collected for myself great quantities of silver and gold, paid to me as tribute by kings and provinces. I brought in for myself male and female singers, and enjoyed many concubines—all a man could want!
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 I became great—greater than anyone in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom stayed with me.
Nikawa maarufu sana kuliko mtu mwingine yeyote aliyepata kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Katika haya yote bado nikawa nina hekima.
10 I didn't stop myself trying anything I wanted. Whatever I felt like enjoying, I did. I even enjoyed everything I had accomplished, a reward for all my work.
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 thought about what I had worked so hard to achieve, everything I'd done, it was so short-lived—as significant as someone trying to catch the wind. There really is no enduring benefit here on earth.
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 So I started to think about wisdom—and madness and foolishness. For what can anyone who comes after the king do that hasn't already been done?
Kisha nikageuza mawazo yangu kufikiria hekima, wazimu na upumbavu. Ni nini zaidi mtu anayetawala baada ya mfalme anachoweza kufanya ambacho hakijafanywa?
13 I recognized that wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than darkness.
Nikaona kuwa hekima ni bora kuliko upumbavu, kama vile nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
14 The wise see where they're going, but fools walk in darkness. But I also realized that they all come to the same end.
Mtu mwenye hekima ana macho katika kichwa chake, lakini mpumbavu anatembea gizani; lakini nikaja kuona kwamba wote wawili hatima yao inafanana.
15 Then I thought to myself, “If I'm going to end up the same as a fool, what's the point of being so wise?” So I thought to myself, “This is also hard to understand!”
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 Nobody remembers the wise or the fool for very long—in the future everything will be forgotten. Whether wise or foolish, they both die.
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 So I ended up feeling disgusted with life because everything that happens here on earth is so distressing. It's so incomprehensible, like trying to control the wind.
Kwa hiyo nikachukia maisha, kwa sababu kazi inayofanyika chini ya jua ilikuwa masikitiko kwangu. Yote hayo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 I even ended up hating what I had achieved here on earth because I have to hand it over to whoever comes after me.
Nikachukia kila kitu nilichokuwa nimetaabikia chini ya jua, kwa sababu ni lazima nimwachie yule ajaye baada yangu.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will rule over everything I accomplished through my wisdom here on earth. This is just so frustrating, so hard to understand!
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 I decided to give up, my mind in despair over the significance of all my life's achievements.
Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi yangu yote niliyoifanya kwa taabu chini ya jua.
21 For you can work wisely, knowledgably, and with skill—and who benefits? Someone who hasn't worked for it! This is both frustrating and totally unjust!
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 What do you get here on earth for all your hard work and worry?
Mtu atapata nini kwa taabu yote na kuhangaika kwa bidii katika kazi anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
23 Your working life is full of trouble and strife—even at night your thoughts keep you awake. This is tough to comprehend!
Siku zake zote kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hata usiku akili yake haipati mapumziko. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili.
24 So what's the best thing to do? Eat, drink, and enjoy your work, recognizing as I did that these things are given to us by 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 for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?
kwa sababu pasipo yeye, ni nani awezaye kula na kufurahi?
26 To those who are good, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner God gives the task of gathering and collecting wealth, only to hand it over to someone who pleases God. This also shows how fleeting life is, and hard to understand—like trying to understand how the wind blows.
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.
