< Mhubiri 2 >

1 Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Haya basi, nitakujaribu kwa anasa nione ni lipi lililo jema.” Lakini hilo nalo likaonekana ni ubatili.
I said in my heart, 'Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it [is] vanity.
2 Nikasema, “Kicheko nacho ni upumbavu. Nayo matokeo ya anasa ni nini?”
Of laughter I said, 'Foolish!' and of mirth, 'What [is] this it is doing?'
3 Nikajaribu kujifurahisha kwa mvinyo na kukumbatia upumbavu, huku bado akili yangu inaniongoza kwa hekima. Nilitaka kuona ni lipi bora watu wafanye kwa siku chache wanazoishi chini ya mbingu.
I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite, (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take hold on folly till that I see where [is] this — the good to the sons of man of that which they do under the heavens, the number of the days of their lives.
4 Nikafanya miradi mikubwa: Nikajijengea majumba na kulima mashamba ya mizabibu.
I made great my works, I builded for me houses, I planted for me vineyards.
5 Nikatengeneza bustani na viwanja vya starehe nikaotesha huko kila aina ya miti ya matunda.
I made for me gardens and paradises, and I planted in them trees of every fruit.
6 Nikajenga mabwawa ya kukusanya maji ya kunyweshea hii miti iliyokuwa inastawi vizuri.
I made for me pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.
7 Nikanunua watumwa wa kiume na wa kike na watumwa wengine walizaliwa nyumbani mwangu. Pia nilikuwa na makundi ya ngʼombe, kondoo na mbuzi kuliko mtu yeyote aliyewahi kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu.
I got men-servants, and maid-servants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance — herd and flock — above all who had been before me in Jerusalem.
8 Nikajikusanyia fedha na dhahabu, hazina za wafalme na za majimbo. Nikajipatia waimbaji wanaume na wanawake, nazo nyumba za masuria: vitu ambavyo moyo wa mwanadamu hufurahia.
I gathered for me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I prepared for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of man — a wife and wives.
9 Nikawa maarufu sana kuliko mtu mwingine yeyote aliyepata kuishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Katika haya yote bado nikawa nina hekima.
And I became great, and increased above every one who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me.
10 Sikujinyima kitu chochote ambacho macho yangu yalikitamani, hakuna anasa ambayo niliunyima moyo wangu. Moyo wangu ulifurahia kazi zangu zote, hii ilikuwa thawabu ya kazi zangu zote.
And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,
11 Hata hivyo nilipokuja kuangalia yote ambayo mikono yangu ilikuwa imefanya na yale niliyotaabika kukamilisha, kila kitu kilikuwa ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo; hapakuwa na faida yoyote chini ya jua.
and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!
12 Kisha nikageuza mawazo yangu kufikiria hekima, wazimu na upumbavu. Ni nini zaidi mtu anayetawala baada ya mfalme anachoweza kufanya ambacho hakijafanywa?
And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what [is] the man who cometh after the king? that which [is] already — they have done it!
13 Nikaona kuwa hekima ni bora kuliko upumbavu, kama vile nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.
14 Mtu mwenye hekima ana macho katika kichwa chake, lakini mpumbavu anatembea gizani; lakini nikaja kuona kwamba wote wawili hatima yao inafanana.
The wise! — his eyes [are] in his head, and the fool in darkness is walking, and I also knew that one event happeneth with them all;
15 Kisha nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Hatima ya mpumbavu itanipata mimi pia. Nitafaidi nini basi kwa kuwa na hekima?” Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Hili nalo ni ubatili.”
and I said in my heart, 'As it happeneth with the fool, it happeneth also with me, and why am I then more wise?' And I spake in my heart, that also this [is] vanity:
16 Kwa maana kwa mtu mwenye hekima, kama ilivyo kwa mpumbavu, hatakumbukwa kwa muda mrefu, katika siku zijazo wote watasahaulika. Kama vile ilivyo kwa mpumbavu, mtu mwenye hekima pia lazima atakufa!
That there is no remembrance to the wise — with the fool — to the age, for that which [is] already, [in] the days that are coming is all forgotten, and how dieth the wise? with the fool!
17 Kwa hiyo nikachukia maisha, kwa sababu kazi inayofanyika chini ya jua ilikuwa masikitiko kwangu. Yote hayo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
And I have hated life, for sad to me [is] the work that hath been done under the sun, for the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Nikachukia kila kitu nilichokuwa nimetaabikia chini ya jua, kwa sababu ni lazima nimwachie yule ajaye baada yangu.
And I have hated all my labour that I labour at under the sun, because I leave it to a man who is after me.
19 Nani ajuaye kama atakuwa ni mtu mwenye hekima au mpumbavu? Lakini hata hivyo yeye ndiye atakayetawala kazi zote ambazo nimemiminia juhudi na ustadi chini ya jua. Hili nalo ni ubatili.
And who knoweth whether he is wise or foolish? yet he doth rule over all my labour that I have laboured at, and that I have done wisely under the sun! this also [is] vanity.
20 Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi yangu yote niliyoifanya kwa taabu chini ya jua.
And I turned round to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour that I laboured at under the sun.
21 Kwa kuwa mtu anaweza kufanya kazi yake kwa hekima, maarifa na ustadi, kisha analazimika kuacha vyote alivyo navyo kwa mtu mwingine ambaye hajavifanyia kazi. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili tena ni balaa kubwa.
For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, and to a man who hath not laboured therein he giveth it — his portion! Even this [is] vanity and a great evil.
22 Mtu atapata nini kwa taabu yote na kuhangaika kwa bidii katika kazi anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
For what hath been to a man by all his labour, and by the thought of his heart that he laboured at under the sun?
23 Siku zake zote kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hata usiku akili yake haipati mapumziko. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili.
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail sadness; even at night his heart hath not lain down; this also [is] vanity.
24 Hakuna kitu bora anachoweza kufanya mtu zaidi ya kula na kunywa na kuridhika katika kazi yake. Hili nalo pia, ninaona, latokana na mkono wa Mungu,
There is nothing good in a man who eateth, and hath drunk, and hath shewn his soul good in his labour. This also I have seen that it [is] from the hand of God.
25 kwa sababu pasipo yeye, ni nani awezaye kula na kufurahi?
For who eateth and who hasteth out more than I?
26 Kwa yule mtu anayempendeza Mungu, Mungu humpa hekima, maarifa na furaha, bali kwa mwenye dhambi Mungu humpa kazi ya kukusanya na kuhifadhi utajiri ili Mungu ampe yule anayempenda. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
For to a man who [is] good before Him, He hath given wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; and to a sinner He hath given travail, to gather and to heap up, to give to the good before God. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

< Mhubiri 2 >