Mhubiri 6
1 Nimeona ubaya mwingine chini ya jua, nao unalemea sana wanadamu:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man:
2 Mungu humpa mwanadamu utajiri, mali na heshima, hivyo hakukosa chochote moyo wake unachokitamani. Lakini Mungu hamwezeshi kuvifurahia, badala yake mgeni ndiye anayevifurahia. Hili ni ubatili, ni ubaya unaosikitisha.
A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease.
3 Mtu anaweza kuwa na watoto mia moja naye akaishi miaka mingi, lakini haidhuru kuwa ataishi muda mrefu kiasi gani, kama hawezi kufurahia mafanikio yake na kwamba hapati mazishi ya heshima, ninasema afadhali mtoto aliyezaliwa akiwa amekufa kuliko yeye.
If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he [is] the untimely birth.'
4 Kuzaliwa kwake hakuna maana, huondokea gizani na gizani jina lake hufunikwa.
For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,
5 Ingawa hakuwahi kuliona jua wala kujua kitu chochote, yeye ana pumziko zaidi kuliko mtu huyo,
Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.
6 Hata kama huyo mtu ataishi miaka elfu mara mbili na zaidi, lakini akashindwa kufurahia mafanikio yake, je, wote hawaendi sehemu moja?
And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?
7 Juhudi zote za binadamu ni kwa ajili ya kinywa chake, hata hivyo hamu yake kamwe haitoshelezwi.
All the labour of man [is] for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.
8 Mtu mwenye hekima ana faida gani zaidi ya mpumbavu? Mtu maskini anapata faida gani kwa kujua jinsi ya kujistahi mbele ya watu wengine?
For what advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?
9 Ni bora kile ambacho jicho linakiona kuliko hamu isiyotoshelezwa. Hili nalo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 Lolote lililopo limekwisha kupewa jina, naye mwanadamu alivyo ameshajulikana; hakuna mtu awezaye kushindana na mwenye nguvu kuliko yeye.
What [is] that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.
11 Maneno yanavyokuwa mengi, ndivyo yanavyokosa maana, Je, hilo linamfaidia vipi yeyote?
For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage [is] to man?
12 Kwa maana ni nani anayejua lililo jema kwa ajili ya maisha ya mwanadamu, katika siku chache na za ubatili anazopita kama kivuli? Ni nani awezaye kumwambia yatakayotokea chini ya jua baada ya yeye kuondoka?
For who knoweth what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?
