Ecclesiastes 4
1 And I turned about, and beheld all the oppressed that are made so under the sun: and, behold, there are the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors they suffer violence; and they have no comforter.
Nikatazama tena nikaona uonevu wote uliokuwa unafanyika chini ya jua: Nikaona machozi ya walioonewa, wala hawana wa kuwafariji; uwezo ulikuwa upande wa wale wanaowaonea, wala hawana wa kuwafariji.
2 Thereupon praised I the dead that are already dead, more than the living who are still alive;
Nami nikasema kwamba wafu, waliokwisha kufa, wana furaha kuliko watu walio hai, ambao bado wanaishi.
3 And as happier than both of them, him who hath not yet come into being, who hath not seen the evil-doing that is done under the sun.—
Lakini aliye bora kuliko hao wawili ni yule ambaye hajazaliwa bado, ambaye hajaona ule uovu unaofanyika chini ya jua.
4 Again, I beheld all the toil, and all the energy in doing, that it is [from] the envy of one man of his neighbor. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Tena nikaona kuwa kazi zote na mafanikio yote huchipuka kutokana na wivu wa mtu kwa jirani yake. Hili nalo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Mpumbavu hukunja mikono yake na kujiangamiza mwenyewe.
6 Better is a handful of quiet, than both the hands full of toil and torture of spirit.
Afadhali konzi moja pamoja na utulivu kuliko konzi mbili pamoja na taabu na kukimbiza upepo.
7 Then I turned about, and I saw a vanity under the sun.
Tena nikaona kitu kingine kilicho ubatili chini ya jua:
8 There is one alone, and he hath not a companion; yea, he hath neither son nor brother: yet is there no end to all his toil; his eye also is not satisfied with riches. Yet for whom do I toil, and deprive my soul of good? Also this is vanity, yea, it is a bad employment.
Kulikuwepo mwanadamu aliye peke yake, hakuwa na mwana wala ndugu. Hapakuwa na mwisho wa kazi yake, hata hivyo macho yake hayakutosheka na utajiri wake. Aliuliza, “Ninajitaabisha hivi kwa ajili ya nani, nami kwa nini ninajinyima kufurahia?” Hili pia ni ubatili, ni shughuli yenye taabu!
9 Two are better than one; because they will have a good reward for their toil.
Wawili ni afadhali kuliko mmoja, kwa sababu wana malipo mazuri kwa kazi yao:
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to the single one that falleth; for he hath no companion to lift him up.
Kama mmoja akianguka, mwenzake atamwinua. Lakini ni jambo la kuhuzunisha kwa mtu yule aangukaye naye hana wa kumwinua!
11 Also, if two lie together, then will they become warm; but how can one person alone become warm?
Pia, kama wawili wakilala pamoja watapashana joto. Lakini ni vipi mtu aweza kujipasha joto mwenyewe?
12 And if a man could overpower him, the single one, two would stand up against him: and a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn asunder.
Ingawa mtu mmoja aweza kushindwa, watu wawili wanaweza kumkabili adui na kumshinda. Kamba ya nyuzi tatu haikatiki kwa urahisi.
13 Better is a poor and a wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to be admonished any more.
Afadhali kijana maskini mwenye hekima kuliko mfalme mzee mpumbavu ambaye hajui tena kupokea maonyo.
14 For out of the prison cometh the one to reign: whereas also in his kingdom the other becometh poor.
Kijana huyo angeweza kutokea gerezani akapata ufalme, au angeweza kuwa amezaliwa katika umaskini kwenye huo ufalme.
15 I have seen all the living who walk under the sun, being with the second child that is to stand up in his stead.
Nikaona kwamba wote walioishi na kutembea chini ya jua walimfuata kijana, aliyepokea ufalme.
16 There was no end to all the people, [belonging] to all that have been before them: they also that come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a torture of the spirit.—
Hapakuwa na kikomo cha watu wote aliowatawala. Lakini wale waliokuja baadaye hawakufurahia kazi ya yule aliyepokea ufalme. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
