Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
Nimeona ubaya mwingine chini ya jua, nao unalemea sana wanadamu:
2 a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
Mungu humpa mwanadamu utajiri, mali na heshima, hivyo hakukosa chochote moyo wake unachokitamani. Lakini Mungu hamwezeshi kuvifurahia, badala yake mgeni ndiye anayevifurahia. Hili ni ubatili, ni ubaya unaosikitisha.
3 If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;
Mtu anaweza kuwa na watoto mia moja naye akaishi miaka mingi, lakini haidhuru kuwa ataishi muda mrefu kiasi gani, kama hawezi kufurahia mafanikio yake na kwamba hapati mazishi ya heshima, ninasema afadhali mtoto aliyezaliwa akiwa amekufa kuliko yeye.
4 for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
Kuzaliwa kwake hakuna maana, huondokea gizani na gizani jina lake hufunikwa.
5 moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
Ingawa hakuwahi kuliona jua wala kujua kitu chochote, yeye ana pumziko zaidi kuliko mtu huyo,
6 yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
Hata kama huyo mtu ataishi miaka elfu mara mbili na zaidi, lakini akashindwa kufurahia mafanikio yake, je, wote hawaendi sehemu moja?
7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
Juhudi zote za binadamu ni kwa ajili ya kinywa chake, hata hivyo hamu yake kamwe haitoshelezwi.
8 For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?
Mtu mwenye hekima ana faida gani zaidi ya mpumbavu? Mtu maskini anapata faida gani kwa kujua jinsi ya kujistahi mbele ya watu wengine?
9 Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Ni bora kile ambacho jicho linakiona kuliko hamu isiyotoshelezwa. Hili nalo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
10 Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.
Lolote lililopo limekwisha kupewa jina, naye mwanadamu alivyo ameshajulikana; hakuna mtu awezaye kushindana na mwenye nguvu kuliko yeye.
11 Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?
Maneno yanavyokuwa mengi, ndivyo yanavyokosa maana, Je, hilo linamfaidia vipi yeyote?
12 For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Kwa maana ni nani anayejua lililo jema kwa ajili ya maisha ya mwanadamu, katika siku chache na za ubatili anazopita kama kivuli? Ni nani awezaye kumwambia yatakayotokea chini ya jua baada ya yeye kuondoka?
