Mhubiri 2
1 Nikasema moyoni, “Njoo, na nitakujaribu kwa kwa furaha. Kwa hiyo furahia.” Lakini tazama, huu nao ulikuwa ni upepo wa muda.
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.
2 Nikasema juu ya kicheko, “Ni wazimu,” na kuhusu furaha, “Yafaa nini?”
I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 Nikajipeleleza moyoni mwangu katika jinsi ya kutimiza hamu yangu kwa mvinyo. Nikaruhusu akili yangu iongozwe na hekima ingawa bado nilikuwa nikishikilia ujinga. Nilitaka kutafuta jambo lililo jema kwa wanadamu kufanya chini ya mbingu wakati wa siku za maisha yao.
I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4 Nilitimiza mambo makubwa. Nilijenga nyumba kwa ajili yangu na kupanda miti ya mizabibu.
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5 Nilitengeneza bustani na viwanja; nikapanda aina zote za matunda ndani yake.
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
6 Nikatengeneza mabwawa ya maji ili kumwagilia msitu mahali miti ilikuwa imepandwa.
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;
7 Nilinunua watumwa wa kiume na wa kiume; nilikuwa na watumwa waliozaliwa katika ikulu yangu. Pia nikawa na makundi makubwa na wanyama wa kufugwa, zaidi ya mfalme yeyote aliyetawala kabla yangu katika Yerusalemu.
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
8 Pia nilijikusanyia fedha na dhahabu, hazina ya wafalme na majimbo. Nikapata waimbaji wanaume na wanawake kwa ajili yangu, na kufurahia kutoka kwa wana wa wanadamu, masulia na wanawake.
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 Hivyo nikawa mkuu na tajiri kuliko wote waliokuwa Yerusalemu kabla yangu, na hekima yangu ilikuwa ndani yangu.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Lolote ambalo macho yangu yalikitamani sikuyazuia. Sikuuzuia moyo wangu katika furaha yeyote, kwa sababu moyo wangu ulifurahi katika katka kazi yangu zote na furaha ilikuwa ni tunu kwa kazi zangu zote.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Kisha nikatazama matendo yote ambayo mikono yangu iliyokwisha kuyatimiliza na juu ya kazi niliyokuwa nimeifanya, lakini tena, kila kitu kilikuwa ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo. Hakukuwa na faida chini ya jua.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 Kisha nikageuka kuipambanua hekima, na upumbavu na ujinga. Kwa maana ni kitu gani mfalme anayekuja baada yangu afanye, ambacho hakijafanyika?
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [even] that which hath been done long ago.
13 Kisha nikaanza kuelewa kwamba hekima ina faida kuliko upumbavu, kama nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 Mwenye hekima hutumia macho yake katika kichwa chake kuona mahali anakoenda, lakini mpumbavu hutembea katika giza, ingawa ninafahamu kuwa mwisho wa aina moja umetunzwa kwa kila mmoja.
The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Kisha nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Kinachotokea kwa mpumbavu, ndicho kitachotokea na kwangu. Hivyo kuna utofauti gani kama mimi ni mwenye hekima sana?” Nikahitimisha moyoni mwangu, “Huu pia ni mvuke tu.”
Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 Kwa kuwa mwenye hekima, kama mpumbavu, hakumbukwi kwa muda mrefu. Katika siku zijazo, kila kitu kitakuwa kimesahauliwa. Mwenye hekima hufa kama navyokufa mpumbavu.
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
17 Hivyo nikauchukia uhai kwa sababu kazi zote zilizofanyika chini ya jua zilikuwa mbaya kwangu. Hii ni kwa sababu kila kitu ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 Nikachukia yote niliyoyatimiza, ambayo nilikuwa nimekwisha yafanya chini ya jua kwa sababu ni lazima niyaache kwa mtu anaye kuja baada yangu.
And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 Na ni nani ajuaye kama atakuwa mwenye hekima au mpumbavu? Ila atakuwa msimamizi juu ya kila kitu chini ya jua ambayo kazi yangu na hekima yangu imeyajenga. Huu pia ni mvuke.
And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi zote nilizozifanya chini ya jua.
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
21 Kwa kuwa kunaweza kuwa na mtu anayefanya kazi kwa hekima, ufahamu, na umahili, lakini ataacha kila kitu alichonacho kwa mtu ambaye hajafanya chochote. Huu nao ni mvuke na hatari kubwa.
For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Kwa maana ni faida gani mtu hupata ambaye hufanya kazi kwa juhudi na kujaribu moyoni mwake kutimiza kazi zake chini ya jua?
For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?
23 Kila siku kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hivyo wakati wa usiku roho yake haipumziki. Huu pia ni mvuke.
For all his days are [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Hakuna jambo jema kwa mtu yeyote zaidi ya kula na kunywa na kuridhika na kile kilichochema katika kazi yake. Nikaona kwamba ukweli huu unatoka kutoka mkononi mwa Mungu.
There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Kwa kuwa ni nani anaweza kula au anaweza kupata furaha yoyote tofauti na Mungu?
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26 Kwa kuwa kwa kila anayemfurahisha yeye, Mungu humpa hekimana ufahamu ba furaha. Ingawa, kwa mwenye dhambi humpa kazi ya kukusanya na kutunza ili kwamba ampe mtu anayempendeza Mungu. Huu pia ni sawa na mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
