< Ecclesiastes 2 >
1 I said in my heart: 'Come now, I will try thee with mirth, and enjoy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity.
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Haya basi, nitakujaribu kwa anasa nione ni lipi lililo jema.” Lakini hilo nalo likaonekana ni ubatili.
2 I said of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth it accomplish?'
Nikasema, “Kicheko nacho ni upumbavu. Nayo matokeo ya anasa ni nini?”
3 I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.
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 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
Nikafanya miradi mikubwa: Nikajijengea majumba na kulima mashamba ya mizabibu.
5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
Nikatengeneza bustani na viwanja vya starehe nikaotesha huko kila aina ya miti ya matunda.
6 I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees;
Nikajenga mabwawa ya kukusanya maji ya kunyweshea hii miti iliyokuwa inastawi vizuri.
7 I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
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 gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.
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 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.
Nikawa maarufu sana kuliko mtu mwingine yeyote aliyepata kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Katika haya yote bado nikawa nina hekima.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.
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 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
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 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
Kisha nikageuza mawazo yangu kufikiria hekima, wazimu na upumbavu. Ni nini zaidi mtu anayetawala baada ya mfalme anachoweza kufanya ambacho hakijafanywa?
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
Nikaona kuwa hekima ni bora kuliko upumbavu, kama vile nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
14 The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
Mtu mwenye hekima ana macho katika kichwa chake, lakini mpumbavu anatembea gizani; lakini nikaja kuona kwamba wote wawili hatima yao inafanana.
15 Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
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 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool!
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 hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
Kwa hiyo nikachukia maisha, kwa sababu kazi inayofanyika chini ya jua ilikuwa masikitiko kwangu. Yote hayo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
Nikachukia kila kitu nilichokuwa nimetaabikia chini ya jua, kwa sababu ni lazima nimwachie yule ajaye baada yangu.
19 And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
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 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.
Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi yangu yote niliyoifanya kwa taabu chini ya jua.
21 For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
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 For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?
Mtu atapata nini kwa taabu yote na kuhangaika kwa bidii katika kazi anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
23 For all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. This also is vanity.
Siku zake zote kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hata usiku akili yake haipati mapumziko. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili.
24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of 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 will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I?
kwa sababu pasipo yeye, ni nani awezaye kula na kufurahi?
26 For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
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.