Mhubiri 3
1 Kuna wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, nayo majira kwa kila tendo chini ya mbingu:
For, every thing, there is a season, —and a time for every pursuit, under the heavens: —
2 wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kungʼoa yaliyopandwa,
A time to be born, and a time to die, —A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted;
3 wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomoa, na wakati wa kujenga,
A time to kill, and a time to heal, —A time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati wa kucheza,
A time to weep, and a time to laugh, —A time to wail, and a time to dance for joy;
5 wakati wa kutawanya mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia na wakati wa kutokumbatia,
A time to cast away stones, and a time to heap up stones, —A time to embrace, and a time to be far from loving embrace;
6 wakati wa kutafuta na wakati wa kupoteza, wakati wa kuweka na wakati wa kutupa,
A time to seek, and a time to give up as lost, —A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 wakati wa kurarua na wakati wa kushona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza,
A time to rend, and a time to sew, —A time to be silent, and a time to speak;
8 wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.
A time to love and a time to hate, —A time of war, and a time of peace.
9 Mfanyakazi anapata faida gani kutokana na taabu yake?
What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?
10 Nimeona mzigo Mungu alioweka juu ya wanadamu.
I looked at the employment which God hath given to the sons of men, to work therein:
11 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.
Everything, hath he made beautiful in its own time, —also, intelligence, hath he put in their heart, without which men could not find out the work which God hath wrought, from the beginning even unto the end.
12 Ninajua kwamba hakuna kitu bora kwa wanadamu kuliko kuwa na furaha na kutenda mema wakati wanapoishi.
I know that there is no blessedness in them, —save to be glad, and to do well with one’s life.
13 Tena ni karama ya Mungu kila mtu apate kula na kunywa na kujiburudisha kwa mema katika kazi yake yote.
Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.
14 Ninajua kwamba kila kitu anachokifanya Mungu kitadumu milele, hakuna kinachoweza kuongezwa au kupunguzwa. Mungu hufanya hivyo ili watu wamche yeye.
I know, that, whatsoever God doeth, the same, shall be age-abiding, unto it, there is nothing to add, and, from it, there is nothing to take away, —and, God, hath done it, that men should stand in awe before him.
15 Chochote kilichopo kilishakuwepo, na kitakachokuwepo kimekwishakuwepo kabla; naye Mungu huyaita yale yaliyopita yarudi tena.
That which was, already, had been, and, that which shall be, already, shall have been, —but, God, seeketh that which hath been chased away.
16 Pia nikaona kitu kingine tena chini ya jua: Mahali pa kutolea hukumu, uovu ulikuwepo, mahali pa kupatia haki, uovu ulikuwepo.
Then, again, I saw under the sun, the place of justice, that there was lawlessness, and, the place of righteousness, that there was lawlessness.
17 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.”
Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge, —for [there will be] a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work—there.
18 Pia nikafikiri, “Kuhusu wanadamu, Mungu huwajaribu ili wajione kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.
Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them, —and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.
19 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.
For, as regardeth the destiny of the sons of men and the destiny of beasts, one fate, have they, as dieth the one, so, dieth the other, and, one spirit, have they all, —and, the pre-eminence of man over beast, is nothing, for, all, were vanity:
20 Wote huenda mahali panapofanana; wote hutoka mavumbini, mavumbini wote hurudi.
all, go unto one place, —all, came from the dust, and all, return to the dust.
21 Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mtu huenda juu na roho ya mnyama hushuka chini ardhini?”
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above, —or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?
22 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?
So I saw, that there was nothing better than that a man should be glad in his works, for, that, is his portion, —for who can bring him in, to look upon that which shall be after him?
