< Mhubiri 12 >

1 Mkumbuke Muumba wako siku za ujana wako, kabla hazijaja siku za taabu, wala haijakaribia miaka utakaposema, “Mimi sifurahii hiyo”:
Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:
2 kabla jua na nuru, nao mwezi na nyota havijatiwa giza, kabla ya kurudi mawingu baada ya mvua;
Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:
3 siku ile walinzi wa nyumba watakapotetemeka, nao watu wenye nguvu watakapojiinamisha, wakati wasagao watakapokoma kwa sababu ya uchache, nao wachunguliao madirishani kutiwa giza;
When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:
4 wakati milango ya kuingia barabarani itakapofungwa na sauti ya kusaga kufifia; wakati watu wataamshwa kwa sauti ya ndege, lakini nyimbo zao zote zikififia;
And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.
5 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.
Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.
6 Mkumbuke Muumba wako: kabla haijakatika kamba ya fedha, au bakuli la dhahabu halijavunjika; kabla mtungi kuvunjika kwenye chemchemi, au gurudumu kuvunjika kisimani,
Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:
7 nayo mavumbi kurudi ardhini yalikotoka, na roho kurudi kwa Mungu aliyeitoa.
And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.
8 Mhubiri asema, “Ubatili! Ubatili! Kila kitu ni ubatili!”
Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.
9 Mhubiri hakuwa tu na hekima, bali aliwagawia watu maarifa pia. Alitafakari na kutafiti na akaweka katika utaratibu mithali nyingi.
And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.
10 Mhubiri alitafiti ili kupata maneno sahihi na kila alichoandika kilikuwa sawa na kweli.
The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.
11 Maneno ya wenye hekima ni kama mchokoro, mithali zao zilizokusanywa pamoja ni kama misumari iliyogongomewa ikawa imara, yaliyotolewa na Mchungaji mmoja.
The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.
12 Tena zaidi ya hayo, mwanangu, kubali maonyo, hakuna mwisho wa kutunga vitabu vingi, nako kusoma sana huuchosha mwili.
And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.
13 Hii ndiyo jumla ya maneno; yote yamekwisha sikiwa: Mche Mungu, nawe uzishike amri zake, maana kwa jumla ndiyo impasayo mtu.
Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.
14 Kwa maana Mungu ataleta hukumuni kila kazi, pamoja na kila neno la siri, likiwa jema au baya.
For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.

< Mhubiri 12 >