< Ecclesiastes 5 >
1 Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, —for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.
Linda mwenendo wako unapoenda kwenye nyumba ya Mungu. Nenda kule usikilize. Kusikiliza ni bora kuliko wapumbavu wanapotoa dhabihu wakati hawajuikuwa wanachofanya katika maisha ni kibaya.
2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God, —for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy words be few.
Usiwe mwepesi wa kuongea kwa mdomo wako, na usiufanye moyo wako kuleta jambo lolote kwa haraka mbele za Mungu. Mungu yuko mbinguni, lakini uko chini, kwa hiyo maneno yako yawe machache.
3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, —and, the voice of a dullard, is with a multitude of words.
Kama una mambo mengi ya kufanya na kuhangaika, pengine utapata ndoto mbaya. Na pengine utaongea maneno mengi ya upumbavu.
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, —what thou vowest, pay!
Ukiweka nadhili kwa Mungu, usichelewe kuifanya, kwa kuwa Mungu hafurahii upumbavu. Fanya kile ulichoapa utakifanya.
5 Better that thou shouldest not vow, —than vow, and not pay.
Ni bora kutokuweka nadhiri kuliko kuweka nadhiri ambayo usiyoiondoa.
6 Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin, —neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake, —wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
Usiuruhusu mdomo wako kusababisha mwili wako kutenda dhambi. Usiseme kwa mtumwa wa kuhani, “Kile kiapo kilikuwa kwa makosa.” Kwani nini kumfanya Mungu akasirike kwa kuapa kwa uongo, kumchochea Mungu aharibu kazi ya mikono yako?
7 For [it was done] amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, —but, towards God, be thou reverent.
Kwa kuwa katika ndoto nyingi, kama ilivyo katika maneno mengi, kuna mvuke ubatili. Hivyo mwogope Mungu.
8 If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter, —for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is over them.
Unapomwona masikini akiteswa na kunyang'anywa haki na kutendewa vibaya katika jimbo lako, usishangae kama kwamba hakuna anaye fahamu, kwa sababu kuna watu katika mamlaka ambao hutazama, kuna hata walio juu yao.
9 And, the profit of the earth, is, for all, —a king, by the field, is served.
Kwa nyongeza uzalishaji wa ardhi ni kwa kila mmoja, na mfalme mwenyewe huchukua uzalishaji kutoka mashambani.
10 He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver nor, he that loveth abundance, with revenue, —even this, was vanity.
Yeyote apendaye fedha hatatosheka na fedha, na yeyote apendaye utajiri mara zote hutaka zaidi. Huu pia ni mvuke.
11 When blessings are increased, increased are the eaters thereof, —what profit, then, to the owner of them saving the sight of his eyes?
Kadri mafanikio yanapoongezeka, ndivyo wanavyoongezeka watu wanaotumia. Kuna faida gani katika utajiri kwa mmiliki isipokuwa kuutazama kwa macho yake?
12 Sweet the sleep of the labourer, whether, little or much, he eat, —but, the surfeit of the rich man, will not suffer him to sleep.
Usingizi wa mfanyakazi ni mtamu, kama anakula kidogo au sana, lakini utajiri wa mtu tajiri haumuruhusu yeye kulala vizuri.
13 Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;
Kuna jambo baya zaidi ambalo nimeliona chini ya jua: mali iliyowekwa akiba na mwenye nayo, inamsababishia taabu mwenyewe.
14 and those riches perish, by being ill employed, —and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.
Wakati tajiri anapopoteza utajiri wake kwa bahati mbaya, mwana wake, ambaye amemzaa, habakiziwi chochote mikononi mwake.
15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked, he again departeth, as he came, —and, nothing, can he take of his toil, which he can carry in his hand.
Kama mtu azaliwavyo uchi kutoka tumboni mwa mamaye, vivyo hivyo ataondoka katika maisha haya akiwa uchi. Hachukui chochote kutoka katika kazi yake.
16 Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart, —what profit then shall he have who toileth for the wind?
Jambo jingine baya kabisa, kama mtu alivyo kuja ni lazima aende vivyo hivyo. Hivyo ni faida gani mtu yeyote aipatayo katika kufanya kwa ajili ya upepo?
17 Even all his days, [are spent] in darkness and mourning, —and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.
Wakati wa siku zake anakula gizani na anafedheheshwa sana na magonjwa na hasira.
18 Lo! what, I myself, have seen—Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:
Tazama, kile nilichokiona kuwa kizuri kufaaa ni kula na knywa na kufurahia faida kutoka katika kazi zetu zote, tuzifanyazo chini ya jua wakati wa siku za maisha haya ambayo Mungu ametupa. Kwa kuwa huu ni wajibu wa mtu.
19 yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.
Yeyote ambaye Mungu amempa mali na utajiri na uwezo wa kupokea sehemu yake na kufurahi katika kazi yake hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu.
20 Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life, —for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.
Kwa kuwa mara kadhaa hakumbuki siku za maisha yake, kwa sababu Mungu anamfanya kuhangaika na mambo ambayo anafurahia kuyafanya.