Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
Kuna wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, nayo majira kwa kila tendo chini ya mbingu:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kungʼoa yaliyopandwa,
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomoa, na wakati wa kujenga,
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati wa kucheza,
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
wakati wa kutawanya mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia na wakati wa kutokumbatia,
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
wakati wa kutafuta na wakati wa kupoteza, wakati wa kuweka na wakati wa kutupa,
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
wakati wa kurarua na wakati wa kushona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza,
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.
9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
Mfanyakazi anapata faida gani kutokana na taabu yake?
10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
Nimeona mzigo Mungu alioweka juu ya wanadamu.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
Amefanya kila kitu kiwe kizuri kwa wakati wake. Pia ameiweka hiyo milele katika mioyo ya wanadamu, wala hawawezi kutambua kwa kina yale ambayo Mungu amefanya tangu mwanzo hadi mwisho.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
Ninajua kwamba hakuna kitu bora kwa wanadamu kuliko kuwa na furaha na kutenda mema wakati wanapoishi.
13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
Tena ni karama ya Mungu kila mtu apate kula na kunywa na kujiburudisha kwa mema katika kazi yake yote.
14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
Ninajua kwamba kila kitu anachokifanya Mungu kitadumu milele, hakuna kinachoweza kuongezwa au kupunguzwa. Mungu hufanya hivyo ili watu wamche yeye.
15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
Chochote kilichopo kilishakuwepo, na kitakachokuwepo kimekwishakuwepo kabla; naye Mungu huyaita yale yaliyopita yarudi tena.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
Pia nikaona kitu kingine tena chini ya jua: Mahali pa kutolea hukumu, uovu ulikuwepo, mahali pa kupatia haki, uovu ulikuwepo.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atawaleta hukumuni wote wawili wenye haki na waovu, kwa maana kutakuwako na wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, wakati kwa ajili ya kila tendo.”
18 I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
Pia nikafikiri, “Kuhusu wanadamu, Mungu huwajaribu ili wajione kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.
19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
Hatima ya mwanadamu ni kama ile ya wanyama; wote wana mwisho unaofanana: Jinsi anavyokufa mnyama, ndivyo anavyokufa mwanadamu. Wote wana pumzi inayofanana; mwanadamu hana cha zaidi kuliko mnyama. Kila kitu ni ubatili.
20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Wote huenda mahali panapofanana; wote hutoka mavumbini, mavumbini wote hurudi.
21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mtu huenda juu na roho ya mnyama hushuka chini ardhini?”
22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
Kwa hiyo nikaona kwamba hakuna kitu kilicho bora zaidi kwa mwanadamu kuliko kuifurahia kazi yake, kwa sababu hilo ndilo fungu lake. Kwa maana ni nani awezaye kumrudisha ili aje kuona kile kitakachotendeka baada yake?
