Ecclesiastes 12
1 Yet remember thy Creator, in the days of thy vigour, —or ever come in, the days of discomfort, and the years arrive, in which thou shalt say—I have, in them, no pleasure;
Mkumbuke Muumba wako siku za ujana wako, kabla hazijaja siku za taabu, wala haijakaribia miaka utakaposema, “Mimi sifurahii hiyo”:
2 Or ever be darkened—the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, —and the clouds return after a downpour of rain;
kabla jua na nuru, nao mwezi na nyota havijatiwa giza, kabla ya kurudi mawingu baada ya mvua;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the men of might bow themselves, —and the grinders cease because they are few, and they who look through the windows are darkened;
siku ile walinzi wa nyumba watakapotetemeka, nao watu wenye nguvu watakapojiinamisha, wakati wasagao watakapokoma kwa sababu ya uchache, nao wachunguliao madirishani kutiwa giza;
4 And the doors in the street be closed, when the sound of the mill become low, —and one rise at the chirp of a small bird, and low-voiced be all the daughters of song;
wakati milango ya kuingia barabarani itakapofungwa na sauti ya kusaga kufifia; wakati watu wataamshwa kwa sauti ya ndege, lakini nyimbo zao zote zikififia;
5 Yea, at what is high, they be in fear, and there be, terrors, in the way, and the almond be rejected, and the grasshopper drag itself along, and desire perish, —for man is going to his age-abiding home, when the wailers shall go round in the streets;
wakati watu watakapoogopa kilichoinuka juu na hatari zitakazokuwepo barabarani; wakati mlozi utakapochanua maua na panzi kujikokota nawe usiwe na shauku ya kitu chochote. Ndipo mwanadamu aiendea nyumba yake ya milele nao waombolezaji wakizunguka barabarani.
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, —or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;
Mkumbuke Muumba wako: kabla haijakatika kamba ya fedha, au bakuli la dhahabu halijavunjika; kabla mtungi kuvunjika kwenye chemchemi, au gurudumu kuvunjika kisimani,
7 And the dust return to the earth, as it was, —and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.
nayo mavumbi kurudi ardhini yalikotoka, na roho kurudi kwa Mungu aliyeitoa.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Proclaimer, all, is vanity.
Mhubiri asema, “Ubatili! Ubatili! Kila kitu ni ubatili!”
9 Besides that, the Proclaimer being wise, —still further taught knowledge unto the people, and weighed and searched, arranged proverbs in abundance.
Mhubiri hakuwa tu na hekima, bali aliwagawia watu maarifa pia. Alitafakari na kutafiti na akaweka katika utaratibu mithali nyingi.
10 The Proclaimer sought to find out words giving delight, and to note down rightly, the words of truth.
Mhubiri alitafiti ili kupata maneno sahihi na kila alichoandika kilikuwa sawa na kweli.
11 The words of the wise, are as goads, yea, as driven nails, their well-ordered sayings, —given from one shepherd.
Maneno ya wenye hekima ni kama mchokoro, mithali zao zilizokusanywa pamoja ni kama misumari iliyogongomewa ikawa imara, yaliyotolewa na Mchungaji mmoja.
12 And besides, from them, my son, be admonished, —Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.
Tena zaidi ya hayo, mwanangu, kubali maonyo, hakuna mwisho wa kutunga vitabu vingi, nako kusoma sana huuchosha mwili.
13 The conclusion of the matter—the whole, let us hear, —Towards God, be reverent, and, his commandments, observe, for, this, [concerneth] all mankind.
Hii ndiyo jumla ya maneno; yote yamekwisha sikiwa: Mche Mungu, nawe uzishike amri zake, maana kwa jumla ndiyo impasayo mtu.
14 For, every work, will God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, —whether good, or evil.
Kwa maana Mungu ataleta hukumuni kila kazi, pamoja na kila neno la siri, likiwa jema au baya.
