Ecclesiastes 3
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Kuna wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, nayo majira kwa kila tendo chini ya mbingu:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kungʼoa yaliyopandwa,
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomoa, na wakati wa kujenga,
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati wa kucheza,
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
wakati wa kutawanya mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia na wakati wa kutokumbatia,
6 A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
wakati wa kutafuta na wakati wa kupoteza, wakati wa kuweka na wakati wa kutupa,
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
wakati wa kurarua na wakati wa kushona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza,
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that he laboureth?
Mfanyakazi anapata faida gani kutokana na taabu yake?
10 I have seen the task which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
Nimeona mzigo Mungu alioweka juu ya wanadamu.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
Amefanya kila kitu kiwe kizuri kwa wakati wake. Pia ameiweka hiyo milele katika mioyo ya wanadamu, wala hawawezi kutambua kwa kina yale ambayo Mungu amefanya tangu mwanzo hadi mwisho.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.
Ninajua kwamba hakuna kitu bora kwa wanadamu kuliko kuwa na furaha na kutenda mema wakati wanapoishi.
13 But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.
Tena ni karama ya Mungu kila mtu apate kula na kunywa na kujiburudisha kwa mema katika kazi yake yote.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.
Ninajua kwamba kila kitu anachokifanya Mungu kitadumu milele, hakuna kinachoweza kuongezwa au kupunguzwa. Mungu hufanya hivyo ili watu wamche yeye.
15 That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.
Chochote kilichopo kilishakuwepo, na kitakachokuwepo kimekwishakuwepo kabla; naye Mungu huyaita yale yaliyopita yarudi tena.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
Pia nikaona kitu kingine tena chini ya jua: Mahali pa kutolea hukumu, uovu ulikuwepo, mahali pa kupatia haki, uovu ulikuwepo.
17 I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atawaleta hukumuni wote wawili wenye haki na waovu, kwa maana kutakuwako na wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, wakati kwa ajili ya kila tendo.”
18 I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'
Pia nikafikiri, “Kuhusu wanadamu, Mungu huwajaribu ili wajione kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.
Hatima ya mwanadamu ni kama ile ya wanyama; wote wana mwisho unaofanana: Jinsi anavyokufa mnyama, ndivyo anavyokufa mwanadamu. Wote wana pumzi inayofanana; mwanadamu hana cha zaidi kuliko mnyama. Kila kitu ni ubatili.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
Wote huenda mahali panapofanana; wote hutoka mavumbini, mavumbini wote hurudi.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mtu huenda juu na roho ya mnyama hushuka chini ardhini?”
22 Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Kwa hiyo nikaona kwamba hakuna kitu kilicho bora zaidi kwa mwanadamu kuliko kuifurahia kazi yake, kwa sababu hilo ndilo fungu lake. Kwa maana ni nani awezaye kumrudisha ili aje kuona kile kitakachotendeka baada yake?
