Ecclesiastes 7
1 Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.
Afadhali sifa nzuri kuliko manukato safi, nayo siku ya kufa kuliko ya kuzaliwa.
2 Better to go to a house of mourning, Than to go to a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living lays [it] to his heart.
Afadhali kwenda kwenye nyumba ya msiba kuliko kwenda kwenye nyumba ya karamu, kwa kuwa kifo ni hatima ya kila mwanadamu, imewapasa walio hai kuliweka hili mioyoni mwao.
3 Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becomes better.
Huzuni ni afadhali kuliko kicheko, kwa sababu uso wenye huzuni wafaa kwa moyo.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
Moyo wa wenye hekima uko katika nyumba ya msiba, lakini moyo wa wapumbavu uko katika nyumba ya anasa.
5 Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a song of fools,
Afadhali kusikia karipio la mtu mwenye hekima, kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
6 For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.
Kama ilivyo kuvunjika kwa miiba chini ya sufuria, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise mad, And a gift destroys the heart.
Dhuluma humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, nayo rushwa huuharibu moyo.
8 Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
Mwisho wa jambo ni bora kuliko mwanzo wake, uvumilivu ni bora kuliko kiburi.
9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools rests.
Usiwe mwepesi kukasirika rohoni mwako, kwa kuwa hasira hukaa kifuani mwa wapumbavu.
10 Do not say, “What was it, That the former days were better than these?” For you have not asked wisely of this.
Usiseme, “Kwa nini siku za kale zilikuwa bora kuliko siku hizi?” Kwa maana si hekima kuuliza maswali kama hayo.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.
Hekima, kama ulivyo urithi, ni kitu chema na huwafaidia wale walionalo jua.
12 For wisdom [is] a defense, money [is] a defense, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She revives her possessors.
Hekima ni ulinzi kama fedha ilivyo ulinzi, lakini faida ya maarifa ni hii: kwamba hekima huhifadhi maisha ya aliye nayo.
13 See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?
Tafakari kile Mungu alichokitenda: Nani awezaye kunyoosha kile ambacho yeye amekipinda?
14 In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of calamity consider: God has also made this alongside of that, To the intent that man does not find anything after him.
Nyakati zikiwa nzuri, ufurahi, lakini nyakati zikiwa mbaya, tafakari: Mungu amefanya hiyo moja, naam, sanjari na hiyo nyingine. Kwa hiyo, mwanadamu hawezi kugundua kitu chochote kuhusu maisha yake ya baadaye.
15 The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrongdoer prolonging [himself] in his wrong.
Katika maisha haya yangu ya ubatili nimeshaona haya mawili: mtu mwadilifu akiangamia katika uadilifu wake, naye mtu mwovu akiishi maisha marefu katika uovu wake.
16 Do not be over-righteous, nor show yourself too wise, why are you desolate?
Usiwe mwenye haki kupita kiasi, wala usiwe na hekima kupita kiasi: kwa nini kujiangamiza mwenyewe?
17 Do not do much wrong, neither be a fool, why do you die within your time?
Usiwe mwovu kupita kiasi, wala usiwe mpumbavu: kwa nini kufa kabla ya wakati wako?
18 [It is] good that you lay hold on this, and also, do not withdraw your hand from that, for whoever is fearing God goes out with them all.
Ni vyema kushika hilo moja na wala usiache hilo jingine likupite. Mtu amchaye Mungu ataepuka huko kupita kiasi.
19 The wisdom gives strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
Hekima humfanya yeye aliye nayo kuwa na uwezo zaidi kuliko watawala kumi katika mji.
20 Because there is not a righteous man on earth that does good and does not sin.
Hakuna mtu mwenye haki duniani ambaye hufanya mambo ya haki na kamwe asitende dhambi.
21 Also to all the words that they speak do not give your heart, that you do not hear your servant reviling you.
Usitie maanani kila neno linalosemwa na watu, la sivyo, waweza kumsikia mtumishi wako akikulaani:
22 For many times also has your heart known that you yourself have also reviled others.
kwa kuwa unafahamu moyoni mwako kwamba wewe mwenyewe mara nyingi umewalaani wengine.
23 All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, “I am wise,” and it [is] far from me.
Yote haya niliyajaribu kwa hekima, nikasema, “Nimeamua kuwa na hekima”: lakini hii ilikuwa nje ya uwezo wangu.
24 Far off [is] that which has been, and deep, deep, who finds it?
Vyovyote hekima ilivyo, hekima iko mbali sana na imejificha, ni nani awezaye kuigundua?
25 I have turned around, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and the madness of foolishness.
Nikageuza fikira zangu ili kuelewa, kuchunguza na kuitafuta hekima na kusudi la mambo, na ili kuelewa ujinga wa uovu, na wazimu wa upumbavu.
26 And I am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart [is] nets and snares, her hands [are] bands; the good before God escapes from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
Nimeona jambo lililo chungu kuliko mauti, mwanamke ambaye ni mtego, ambaye moyo wake ni wavu wa kutegea na mikono yake ni minyororo. Mtu ampendezaye Mungu atamkwepa, bali mwenye dhambi atanaswa naye.
27 See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
Mhubiri anasema, “Tazama, hili ndilo nililogundua: “Nimegundua kitu kimoja baada ya kingine nilipokuwa katika kusudi la mambo:
28 (that still my soul had sought, and I had not found), One man, a teacher, I have found, and a woman among all these I have not found.
ningali natafiti lakini sipati: nilimpata mwanaume mmoja mnyofu miongoni mwa elfu, lakini hakuna mwanamke mmoja mnyofu miongoni mwao.
29 See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they have sought out many inventions.
Hili ndilo peke yake nililolipata: Mungu amemuumba mwanadamu mnyofu, lakini mwanadamu amebuni mambo mengi.”
