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 test you 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 foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
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 of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 Nilitimiza mambo makubwa. Nilijenga nyumba kwa ajili yangu na kupanda miti ya mizabibu.
I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.
5 Nilitengeneza bustani na viwanja; nikapanda aina zote za matunda ndani yake.
I made myself 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 myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown.
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 male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who 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 also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments 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 who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also 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.
Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.
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 at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labour that I had laboured to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing 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?
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has 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 excels folly, as far as light excels 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 walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens 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 I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said 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 memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like 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 worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
18 Nikachukia yote niliyoyatimiza, ambayo nilikuwa nimekwisha yafanya chini ya jua kwa sababu ni lazima niyaache kwa mtu anaye kuja baada yangu.
I hated all my labour in which I laboured under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes 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.
Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labour in which I have laboured, and in which I have shown 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 began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour in which I had laboured 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 labour is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not laboured for it. 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 does a man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, in which he labours 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 sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes 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 labour. 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 who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
