Mhubiri 7
1 Afadhali sifa nzuri kuliko manukato safi, nayo siku ya kufa kuliko ya kuzaliwa.
A good name is better than oil of great price, and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 Afadhali kwenda kwenye nyumba ya msiba kuliko kwenda kwenye nyumba ya karamu, kwa kuwa kifo ni hatima ya kila mwanadamu, imewapasa walio hai kuliweka hili mioyoni mwao.
It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.
3 Huzuni ni afadhali kuliko kicheko, kwa sababu uso wenye huzuni wafaa kwa moyo.
Sorrow is better than joy; when the face is sad the mind gets better.
4 Moyo wa wenye hekima uko katika nyumba ya msiba, lakini moyo wa wapumbavu uko katika nyumba ya anasa.
The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.
5 Afadhali kusikia karipio la mtu mwenye hekima, kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.
6 Kama ilivyo kuvunjika kwa miiba chini ya sufuria, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili.
Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.
7 Dhuluma humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, nayo rushwa huuharibu moyo.
The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.
8 Mwisho wa jambo ni bora kuliko mwanzo wake, uvumilivu ni bora kuliko kiburi.
The end of a thing is better than its start, and a gentle spirit is better than pride.
9 Usiwe mwepesi kukasirika rohoni mwako, kwa kuwa hasira hukaa kifuani mwa wapumbavu.
Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.
10 Usiseme, “Kwa nini siku za kale zilikuwa bora kuliko siku hizi?” Kwa maana si hekima kuuliza maswali kama hayo.
Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom.
11 Hekima, kama ulivyo urithi, ni kitu chema na huwafaidia wale walionalo jua.
Wisdom together with a heritage is good, and a profit to those who see the sun.
12 Hekima ni ulinzi kama fedha ilivyo ulinzi, lakini faida ya maarifa ni hii: kwamba hekima huhifadhi maisha ya aliye nayo.
Wisdom keeps a man from danger even as money does; but the value of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its owner.
13 Tafakari kile Mungu alichokitenda: Nani awezaye kunyoosha kile ambacho yeye amekipinda?
Give thought to the work of God. Who will make straight what he has made bent?
14 Nyakati zikiwa nzuri, ufurahi, lakini nyakati zikiwa mbaya, tafakari: Mungu amefanya hiyo moja, naam, sanjari na hiyo nyingine. Kwa hiyo, mwanadamu hawezi kugundua kitu chochote kuhusu maisha yake ya baadaye.
In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be after him.
15 Katika maisha haya yangu ya ubatili nimeshaona haya mawili: mtu mwadilifu akiangamia katika uadilifu wake, naye mtu mwovu akiishi maisha marefu katika uovu wake.
These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.
16 Usiwe mwenye haki kupita kiasi, wala usiwe na hekima kupita kiasi: kwa nini kujiangamiza mwenyewe?
Be not given overmuch to righteousness and be not over-wise. Why let destruction come on you?
17 Usiwe mwovu kupita kiasi, wala usiwe mpumbavu: kwa nini kufa kabla ya wakati wako?
Be not evil overmuch, and be not foolish. Why come to your end before your time?
18 Ni vyema kushika hilo moja na wala usiache hilo jingine likupite. Mtu amchaye Mungu ataepuka huko kupita kiasi.
It is good to take this in your hand and not to keep your hand from that; he who has the fear of God will be free of the two.
19 Hekima humfanya yeye aliye nayo kuwa na uwezo zaidi kuliko watawala kumi katika mji.
Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a town.
20 Hakuna mtu mwenye haki duniani ambaye hufanya mambo ya haki na kamwe asitende dhambi.
There is no man on earth of such righteousness that he does good and is free from sin all his days.
21 Usitie maanani kila neno linalosemwa na watu, la sivyo, waweza kumsikia mtumishi wako akikulaani:
Do not give ear to all the words which men say, for fear of hearing the curses of your servant.
22 kwa kuwa unafahamu moyoni mwako kwamba wewe mwenyewe mara nyingi umewalaani wengine.
Your heart has knowledge how frequently others have been cursed by you.
23 Yote haya niliyajaribu kwa hekima, nikasema, “Nimeamua kuwa na hekima”: lakini hii ilikuwa nje ya uwezo wangu.
All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
24 Vyovyote hekima ilivyo, hekima iko mbali sana na imejificha, ni nani awezaye kuigundua?
Far off is true existence, and very deep; who may have knowledge of it?
25 Nikageuza fikira zangu ili kuelewa, kuchunguza na kuitafuta hekima na kusudi la mambo, na ili kuelewa ujinga wa uovu, na wazimu wa upumbavu.
I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.
26 Nimeona jambo lililo chungu kuliko mauti, mwanamke ambaye ni mtego, ambaye moyo wake ni wavu wa kutegea na mikono yake ni minyororo. Mtu ampendezaye Mungu atamkwepa, bali mwenye dhambi atanaswa naye.
And I saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.
27 Mhubiri anasema, “Tazama, hili ndilo nililogundua: “Nimegundua kitu kimoja baada ya kingine nilipokuwa katika kusudi la mambo:
Look! this I have seen, said the Preacher, taking one thing after another to get the true account,
28 ningali natafiti lakini sipati: nilimpata mwanaume mmoja mnyofu miongoni mwa elfu, lakini hakuna mwanamke mmoja mnyofu miongoni mwao.
For which my soul is still searching, but I have it not; one man among a thousand have I seen; but a woman among all these I have not seen.
29 Hili ndilo peke yake nililolipata: Mungu amemuumba mwanadamu mnyofu, lakini mwanadamu amebuni mambo mengi.”
This only have I seen, that God made men upright, but they have been searching out all sorts of inventions.
