< Mhubiri 11 >
1 Peleka mkate wako juu ya maji, kwa kuwa utaupata tena baada ya siku nyingi.
Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.
2 Shiriki mkate na watu saba, hata wanane kwa kuwa haujui ni majanga gani yanayo kuja juu ya nchi.
Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.
3 Kama mawingu yamejaa mvua, yanajivua yenyewe chini ya nchi. Na kama mti ukianguka kuelekea kusini au kuelekea kaskazini, popote mti unapoangukia papo hapo utabakia.
If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is.
4 Yeyote autazamaye upepo yawezekana asipande, na yeyote atazamaye mawingu yawezekana asivune.
Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.
5 Kama usivyo jua njia ya upepo, wala vile ambavyo mtoto akuavyo tumboni, vivyo hivyo huwezi kuielewa kazi ya Mungu, aliye umba kila kitu.
As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, How — bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.
6 Asubuhi panda mbegu yako; hadi jioni, fanya kazi kwa mikono yako kama inavyo hitajika kwa kuwa haujui ni ipi itafanikiwa, jioni au asubuhi, au hii au ile au zote zitakuwa nzuri.
In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.
7 Kweli nuru ni tamu, na ni kitu cha kufurahisha kwa ajili ya macho kuona jua.
Sweet also [is] the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.
8 Kama mtu akiishi miaka mingi, na aifurahie yote, lakina na afikiri juu ya siku zijazo za giza, kwa kuwa zitakuwa nyingi. Kila kitu kijacho ni mvuke unaoteketea.
But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming [is] vanity.
9 Furahia kijana, katika ujana wako, na moyo wako ufurahie siku za ujana wako. fuatilia yale mema ya moyo wako, chochote kilicho mbele ya macho yako. Ingawa, fahamu kwamba MUngu atakuleta hukumuni kwa ajili ya vitu hivi vyote.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.
10 Ondoa hasira kutoka moyoni mwako, na usijali maumivu yoyote katika mwili wako, kwa sababu ujana na nguvu zake ni mvuke.
And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age [are] vanity!