Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than costly perfume, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.
Jina zuri ni bora kuliko manukato ya gharama, na siku ya kufa ni bora kuliko siku ya kuzaliwa.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for mourning comes to all people at the end of life, so living people must take this to heart.
Ni bora kwenda kwenye nyumba ya maombolezo kuliko nyumba ya karamu, kwa kuwa maombolezo huja kwa watu wote wakati wa mwisho wa uhai, kwa hiyo watu wanaoishi ni lazima waweke hili moyoni.
3 Grief is better than laughter, for after sadness of face comes gladness of heart.
Huzuni ni bora kuliko kicheko, kwa kuwa baada ya uso wa huzuni huja furaha ya moyo.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of feasting.
Moyo wa mwenye hekima uko katika nyumba ya maombolezo, lakini moyo wa wapumbavu uko katika nyumba ya karamu.
5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools.
Ni bora kusikiliza maonyo ya mtu mwenye hekima kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
6 For like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so also is the laughter of fools. This, too, is vapor.
Kwa kuwa kama mlio wa miiba chini ya chungu, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Huu pia ni mvuke.
7 Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
kweli jeuri humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, na rusha huharibu moyo.
8 Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.
Ni heri mwisho wa jambo kuliko mwanzo; na watu wenye uvumilivu ni bora kuliko wenye majivuno rohoni.
9 Do not be quick to anger in your spirit, for anger resides in the hearts of fools.
Usikasirike haraka rohoni mwako, kwa sababu hasira hukaa katika mioyo ya wapumbavu.
10 Do not say, “Why were the days of old better than these?” For it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question.
Usiseme, “Kwa nini siku za zamani zilikuwa bora kuliko siku hizi?” Kwa kuwa sio kwa sababu ya hekima kwamba unauliza swali hili.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good. It benefits those who see the sun.
Hekima ni njema kama vitu vya thamani tunavyorithi kutoka kwa wazazi wetu. Inatoa faida kwa wale wanaoliona jua.
12 For wisdom provides protection as money can provide protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to whoever has it.
Kwa kuwa hekima hutoa ulinzi kama vile fedha inavyoweza kutoa ulinzi, lakini faida ya maarifa ni kwamba hekima humpa uhai kwa yeyote aliye nayo.
13 Consider the deeds of God: Who can straighten out anything he has made crooked?
Tafakaria matendo ya Mungu: Ni nani awezaye kuimarisha chochote alichokipindisha?
14 When times are good, live happily in that good, but when times are bad, consider this: God has allowed both to exist side by side. For this reason, no one will find out anything that is coming after him.
Wakati nyakati vinakuwa njema, ishi kwa furaha katika hali hiyo, lakini wakati unapokuwa mbaya, tafakari hili: Mungu ameruhusu hali zote ziwepo, Kwa sababu hii, hakuna mwanadamu yeyote atakaye fahamu chochote kinacho kuja baada yake.
15 I have seen many things in my meaningless days. There are righteous people who perish in spite of their righteousness, and there are wicked people who live a long life in spite of their evil.
Nimeona mambo mengi katika siku zangu za ubatili. Kuna watu wenye haki ambao wanaangamia licha ya kwamba wana haki, na kuna watu waovu wanaoishi maisha marefu licha ya kwamba ni waovu.
16 Do not be self-righteous, wise in your own eyes. Why should you destroy yourself?
Usiwe mwenye haki katika macho yako mwenyewe. Kwa nini kujiharibu mwenyewe?
17 Do not be too wicked or foolish. Why should you die before your time?
Usiwe mwovu sana au mpumbavu. Kwa nini ufe kabla ya wakati wako?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this wisdom, and that you should not let go of righteousness. For the person who fears God will meet all his obligations.
Ni vyema kwamba ushike hekima hii, na kwamba usiache haki iende zake. Kwa kuwa mtu amchae Mungu atatimiza ahadi zake zote.
19 Wisdom is powerful in the wise man, more than ten rulers in a city.
Hekima ina nguvu ndani ya mwenye hekima, zaidi ya watawala kumi katika mji.
20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Hakuna mtu mwenye haki juu ya nchi anayefanya mema na hatendi dhambi.
21 Do not listen to every word that is spoken, because you might hear your servant curse you.
Usisikilize kila neno linaongelewa, kwa sababu unaweza kusikia mtumishi wako anakulaani.
22 Similarly, you know yourself that in your own heart you have often cursed others.
Vivyo hivyo unafahamu mwenyewe ndani ya moyo wako umewalaani wengine mara kadhaa.
23 All this have I proven by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was more than I could be.
Haya yote nimeyathibitisha kwa hekima. Nikasema, “nitakuwa mwenye hekima,” lakini zaidi ambavyo ningekuwa.
24 Wisdom is far off and very deep. Who can find it?
Hekima i mbali na kina sana. Ni nani awezaye kuipata?
25 I turned my heart to learn and examine and seek wisdom and the explanations of reality, and to understand that evil is stupid and that folly is madness.
Nikageuza moyo wangu kujifunza kuchunguza na kutafuta hekima na ufafanuzi wa ukweli, na kufahamu kwamba ubaya ni ujinga na kwamba upumbavu ni wazimu.
26 I found that more bitter than death is any woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.
Nikapata kufahamu kwamba uchungu kuliko kifo, ndivo alivyo mwanamke yeyote ambaye moyo wake umejaa mitego, na nyavu, na ambaye mikono yake ni minyororo. Yeyote ampendezaye Mungu ataponyoka kutoka kwake, lakini mwenye dhambi atachukuliwa naye.
27 “Consider what I have discovered,” says the Teacher. “I have been adding one discovery to another in order to find an explanation of reality.
“Tafakari kile nilichovumbua,” asema Mwalimu. “Nimekuwa nikiongeza uvumbuzi mmoja hadi mwingine ili kwamba nipate ufafanuzi wa ukweli.
28 This is what I am still looking for, but I have not found it. I did find one righteous man among a thousand, but a woman among all those I did not find.
Hii ndiyo bado natafuta, lakini bado sijapata. Sikupata mwanamme mmoja mwenye haki miongoni mwa elfu, lakini sikupata mwanamke miongoni mwa wale wote.
29 I have discovered only this: That God created humanity upright, but they have gone away looking for many difficulties.”
Nimegundua hili: kwamba Mungu alimuumba binadamu akiwa mnyoofu, lakini wametoka katika hali ya unyofu wakitafuta magumu mengi.
