Mhubiri 12
1 Mkumbuke Muumba wako siku za ujana wako, kabla hazijaja siku za taabu, wala haijakaribia miaka utakaposema, “Mimi sifurahii hiyo”:
Remember also your Creator in days of your youth, While that the evil days do not come, Nor the years have arrived, that you say, “I have no pleasure in them.”
2 kabla jua na nuru, nao mwezi na nyota havijatiwa giza, kabla ya kurudi mawingu baada ya mvua;
While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.
3 siku ile walinzi wa nyumba watakapotetemeka, nao watu wenye nguvu watakapojiinamisha, wakati wasagao watakapokoma kwa sababu ya uchache, nao wachunguliao madirishani kutiwa giza;
In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] rises at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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 of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper has become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going to his perpetual home, And the mourners have gone around through the street.
6 Mkumbuke Muumba wako: kabla haijakatika kamba ya fedha, au bakuli la dhahabu halijavunjika; kabla mtungi kuvunjika kwenye chemchemi, au gurudumu kuvunjika kisimani,
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
7 nayo mavumbi kurudi ardhini yalikotoka, na roho kurudi kwa Mungu aliyeitoa.
And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Mhubiri asema, “Ubatili! Ubatili! Kila kitu ni ubatili!”
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
9 Mhubiri hakuwa tu na hekima, bali aliwagawia watu maarifa pia. Alitafakari na kutafiti na akaweka katika utaratibu mithali nyingi.
And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out—he made right many allegories.
10 Mhubiri alitafiti ili kupata maneno sahihi na kila alichoandika kilikuwa sawa na kweli.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and [that] written [by] the upright—words of truth.
11 Maneno ya wenye hekima ni kama mchokoro, mithali zao zilizokusanywa pamoja ni kama misumari iliyogongomewa ikawa imara, yaliyotolewa na Mchungaji mmoja.
Words of the wise [are] as the goads, and as nails planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one Shepherd.
12 Tena zaidi ya hayo, mwanangu, kubali maonyo, hakuna mwisho wa kutunga vitabu vingi, nako kusoma sana huuchosha mwili.
And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many scrolls has no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
13 Hii ndiyo jumla ya maneno; yote yamekwisha sikiwa: Mche Mungu, nawe uzishike amri zake, maana kwa jumla ndiyo impasayo mtu.
The end of the whole matter let us hear: “Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
14 Kwa maana Mungu ataleta hukumuni kila kazi, pamoja na kila neno la siri, likiwa jema au baya.
For every work God brings into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.”
