Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, “Pray, come, I try you with mirth, and look on gladness”; and behold, even it [is] vanity.
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Haya basi, nitakujaribu kwa anasa nione ni lipi lililo jema.” Lakini hilo nalo likaonekana ni ubatili.
2 Of laughter I said, “Foolish!” And of mirth, “What [is] this it is doing?”
Nikasema, “Kicheko nacho ni upumbavu. Nayo matokeo ya anasa ni nini?”
3 I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take hold on folly until I see where this [is]—the good to the sons of man of that which they do under the heavens, the number of the days of their lives.
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 great my works, I built for myself houses, I planted for myself vineyards.
Nikafanya miradi mikubwa: Nikajijengea majumba na kulima mashamba ya mizabibu.
5 I made for myself gardens and paradises, and I planted in them trees of every fruit.
Nikatengeneza bustani na viwanja vya starehe nikaotesha huko kila aina ya miti ya matunda.
6 I made for myself pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.
Nikajenga mabwawa ya kukusanya maji ya kunyweshea hii miti iliyokuwa inastawi vizuri.
7 I acquired menservants, and maidservants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance—herd and flock—above all who had been 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 also gathered for myself silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I prepared for myself men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of man—a wife and wives.
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 And I became great, and increased above everyone who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me.
Nikawa maarufu sana kuliko mtu mwingine yeyote aliyepata kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Katika haya yote bado nikawa nina hekima.
10 And all that my eyes asked I did not keep back from them; I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this has been my portion, from all my labor,
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 and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labor that I have labored to do, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit, and there is no advantage 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 to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what [is] the man who comes after the king? That which [is] already—they have done it!
Kisha nikageuza mawazo yangu kufikiria hekima, wazimu na upumbavu. Ni nini zaidi mtu anayetawala baada ya mfalme anachoweza kufanya ambacho hakijafanywa?
13 And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.
Nikaona kuwa hekima ni bora kuliko upumbavu, kama vile nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
14 The wise—his eyes [are] in his head, and the fool is walking in darkness, and I also knew that one event happens with them all;
Mtu mwenye hekima ana macho katika kichwa chake, lakini mpumbavu anatembea gizani; lakini nikaja kuona kwamba wote wawili hatima yao inafanana.
15 and I said in my heart, “As it happens with the fool, it happens also with me, and why am I then more wise?” And I spoke in my heart, that also this [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 That there is no remembrance to the wise—with the fool—for all time, for that which [is] already, [in] the days that are coming is all forgotten, and how dies the wise? With 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 And I have hated life, for sad to me [is] the work that has been done under the sun, for the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit.
Kwa hiyo nikachukia maisha, kwa sababu kazi inayofanyika chini ya jua ilikuwa masikitiko kwangu. Yote hayo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
18 And I have hated all my labor that I labor at under the sun, because I leave it to a man who is after me.
Nikachukia kila kitu nilichokuwa nimetaabikia chini ya jua, kwa sababu ni lazima nimwachie yule ajaye baada yangu.
19 And who knows whether he is wise or foolish? Yet he rules over all my labor that I have labored at, and that I have done wisely under the sun! This [is] also 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 And I turned around to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor that I labored at 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 labor [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who has not labored therein he gives it—his portion! Even this [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 has been to a man by all his labor, and by the thought of his heart that he labored at 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 sorrows, and his travail sadness; even at night his heart has not lain down; this [is] also 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 good in a man who eats, and has drunk, and has shown his soul good in his labor. This also I have seen 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 eats and who hurries out more than I?
kwa sababu pasipo yeye, ni nani awezaye kula na kufurahi?
26 For to a man who [is] good before Him, He has given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He has given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.
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.
