Muparidzi 4
1 Ndakatarirazve ndikaona udzvinyiriri hwose hwaiitika pasi pezuva: Ndakaona misodzi yavanodzvinyirirwa, uye havana munyaradzi; simba raiva kudivi ravadzvinyiriri vavo, uye havana munyaradzi.
I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
2 Ndakati vakafa, vakanguri vafa kare, vano mufaro kupfuura vapenyu, vachiri kurarama.
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 Asi ari nani kupfuura vose ndiye uyo asati atombovapo, uyo asati amboona zvakaipa zvinoitwa pasi pezuva.
And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
4 Uye ndakaona kuti kushanda kwose nokuwana kwose kwomunhu kunobva pakuchiva muvakidzani wake. Izviwo hazvina maturo, kudzinganisana nemhepo.
I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
5 Benzi rinopeta maoko aro, rozviparadza.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Tsama imwe yorugare inopfuura tsama mbiri dzokutambudzika nokudzingana nemhepo.
[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
7 Zvino ndakaona chinhu chisina maturo pasi pezuva.
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 Kwaiva nomunhu aigara ari oga; akanga asina mwanakomana, kana mununʼuna. Kushanda kwake kwakanga kusina magumo, kunyange zvakadaro meso ake haana kugutswa nepfuma yake. Akabvunza akati, “Ndinotambudzikira aniko, uye sei ndichizvinyima mafaro?” Naizvozviwo hazvina maturo, basa rokutambura!
There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
9 Vaviri vari nani pano mumwe chete, nokuti vano mugove wakanaka pakushanda kwavo:
Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
10 Kana mumwe akawira pasi, shamwari yake inogona kumubatsira kuti amire zvakare. Asi ane nhamo munhu anowira pasi, asina anomusimudza!
If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
11 Uyezve kana vaviri vachivata pamwe chete, vachadziyirwa. Asi mumwe chete angadziyirwa sei?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 Munhu mumwe chete angakurirwa simba, asi vaviri vanozvidzivirira. Rwodzi rwakakoswa mutatu harungakurumidzi kudamburwa.
Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
13 Jaya murombo asi rakachenjera riri nani kupfuura mambo mutana ari benzi, asisazivi kuteerera kana achipiwa yambiro.
A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
14 Jaya ringava rakabva mutorongo rikazova mambo, kana angava akaberekwa ari muurombo, muushe hwokwake.
It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
15 Ndakaona kuti vose vapenyu vakafamba pasi pezuva vakatevera jaya, rakazotevera panzvimbo yamambo.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 Vakanga vasingaverengeki vanhu vose vaaitonga. Asi vakazouya pashure havana kufadzwa neakanga achitonga panzvimbo yamambo. Naizvozviwo hazvina maturo, kudzinganisana nemhepo.
Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
