Mhubiri 9
1 Kwa hiyo niliyatafakari yote haya nikafikia uamuzi kwamba waadilifu na wenye hekima na yale wanayoyafanya yako mikononi mwa Mungu, lakini hakuna mtu ajuaye kama anangojewa na upendo au chuki.
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them.
2 Wote wanayo hatima inayofanana, mwadilifu na mwovu, mwema na mbaya, aliye safi na aliye najisi, wale wanaotoa dhabihu na wale wasiotoa. Kama ilivyo kwa mtu mwema, ndivyo ilivyo kwa mtu mwenye dhambi; kama ilivyo kwa wale wanaoapa, ndivyo ilivyo kwa wale wasioapa.
All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifices not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that swears, as he that fears an oath.
3 Huu ni ubaya ulio katika kila kitu kinachotendeka chini ya jua: Mwisho unaofanana huwapata wote. Zaidi ya hayo, mioyo ya watu, imejaa ubaya na kuna wazimu mioyoni mwao wangali hai, hatimaye huungana na waliokufa.
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4 Yeyote aliye miongoni mwa walio hai analo tumaini, hata mbwa hai ni bora kuliko simba aliyekufa!
In order to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Kwa maana walio hai wanajua kwamba watakufa, lakini wafu hawajui chochote, hawana tuzo zaidi, hata kumbukumbu yao imesahaulika.
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Upendo wao, chuki yao na wivu wao vimetoweka tangu kitambo, kamwe hawatakuwa tena na sehemu katika lolote linalotendeka chini ya jua.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
7 Nenda, kula chakula chako kwa furaha, unywe divai yako kwa moyo wa shangwe, kwa maana sasa Mungu anakubali unachofanya.
Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God now accepts your works.
8 Daima uvae nguo nyeupe na daima upake kichwa chako mafuta.
Let your garments be always white; and let your head lack no ointment.
9 Furahia maisha na mke wako, umpendaye, siku zote za maisha ya ubatili uliyopewa na Mungu chini ya jua, siku zote za ubatili. Kwa maana hili ndilo fungu lako katika maisha na katika kazi yako ya taabu chini ya jua.
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity: for that is your portion in this life, and in your labour which you take under the sun.
10 Lolote mkono wako upatalo kufanya, fanya kwa nguvu zako zote, kwa kuwa huko kuzimu, unakokwenda, hakuna kufanya kazi wala mipango wala maarifa wala hekima. (Sheol h7585)
Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go. (Sheol h7585)
11 Nimeona kitu kingine tena chini ya jua: Si wenye mbio washindao mashindano au wenye nguvu washindao vita, wala si wenye hekima wapatao chakula au wenye akili nyingi wapatao mali, wala wenye elimu wapatao upendeleo, lakini fursa huwapata wote.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happens to them all.
12 Zaidi ya hayo, hakuna mwanadamu ajuaye wakati saa yake itakapokuja: Kama vile samaki wavuliwavyo katika wavu mkatili, au ndege wanaswavyo kwenye mtego, vivyo hivyo wanadamu hunaswa na nyakati mbaya zinazowaangukia bila kutazamia.
For man also knows not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.
13 Pia niliona chini ya jua mfano huu wa hekima ambao ulinivutia sana:
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
14 Palikuwa na mji mdogo uliokuwa na watu wachache ndani yake. Mfalme mwenye nguvu akainuka dhidi yake, akauzunguka akaweka jeshi kubwa dhidi yake.
There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15 Katika mji huo kulikuwepo mtu mmoja maskini lakini mwenye hekima, naye akauokoa ule mji kwa hekima yake. Lakini hakuna aliyemkumbuka yule maskini.
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16 Kwa hiyo, nikasema, “Hekima ni bora kuliko nguvu.” Lakini hekima ya maskini imedharauliwa, wala hakuna anayesikiliza maneno yake.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 Maneno ya utulivu ya mwenye hekima husikiwa kuliko makelele ya mtawala wa wapumbavu.
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that rules among fools.
18 Hekima ni bora kuliko silaha za vita, lakini mwenye dhambi mmoja huharibu mema mengi.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroys much good.
