Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also your Creator in days of your youth, While that the evil days do not come, Nor the years have arrived, that you say, “I have no pleasure in them.”
Pia mkumbuke Muumba wako katika siku za za ujana, kabla ya siku za ugumu hazijaja, na kabla ya miaka haijafika utakapo sema, “Mimi sina furaha katika hizo,”
2 While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.
fanya hivi kabla ya nuru ya jua na mwezi na nyota havijawa giza, na mawingu kurudi baada ya mvua.
3 In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
Huo utakuwa wakati ambapo mlinzi wa ikulu atatetemeka, na wanaume imara wameinama, na wanawake wanao saga kukoma, kwa sababu ni wachache, na wale wanao chungulia dirishani hawaoni vizuri tena.
4 And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] rises at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
Huo utakuwa wakati ambao milango imefungwa katika mtaa, na mlio wa kusanga kukoma, wakati wanaume watasitushwa kwa mlio wa ndege, na wimbo wa sauti ya wasichana kukoma.
5 Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper has become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going to his perpetual home, And the mourners have gone around through the street.
Utakuwa wakati ambapo watu wataogopa vilivyoinuka na hatari iliyoko barabarani, na wakati ambapo mlozi utachanua maua, na wakati panzi watakapokokotana wenyewe, na wakati ambapo hamu za asili zitakaposhindwa. Kisha mtu aenda katika nyumba yake ya milele na waombolezaji watelemka mitaani.
6 While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
Mkumbuke Muumba wako kabla ya kamba ya fedha kukatwa, au bakuli ya dhahabu kupasuka, au gudulia kuvunjwa kwenye chemuchemi, au torori la maji kuvunjika kisimani,
7 And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.
kabla mavumbi kurudia mahali yalipotoka, na roho kurudi kwa Mungu aliyeitoa.
8 Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
Kama ukungu wa mvuke,” asema mwalimu, kila kitu ni mvuke upoteao.
9 And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out—he made right many allegories.
Mwalimu alikuwa na hekima na aliwafundisha watu maarifa. Alisoma na kuazimu na kutunga mithali nyingi katika mpangilio.
10 The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and [that] written [by] the upright—words of truth.
Mwalimu alitafuta kuandika kwa kutumia vithibitisho dhahiri, maneno ya kweli yaliyo wima.
11 Words of the wise [are] as the goads, and as nails planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one Shepherd.
Maneno ya watu wenye hekima ni kama mchokoo. Kama misumari ilivyogongomewa kwa undani, ndivyo yalivyo maneno ya mabwana katika mkusanyiko wa mithali zao, ambayo yamefundishwa na mchungaji mmoja.
12 And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many scrolls has no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
Mwanangu kuwa makini na kitu zaidi, utengezaji wa vitabu vingi, ambacho hakina mwisho, na kusoma kwingi huleta uchovu mwilini.
13 The end of the whole matter let us hear: “Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
Mwisho wa jambo baada ya kila kitu umesikika, ni kwamba ni lazima umche Mungu na kushika amri zake, kwa kuwa huu ndilo jukumu lote la mwanadamu.
14 For every work God brings into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.”
Kwa kuwa Mungu ataleta kila tendo hukumuni, pamoja na kila kitu kilichofichika, kizuri au kibaya.
