Mhubiri 4
1 Kisha tena nikafikiri kuhusu mateso yote yaliyo chini ya jua. Tazama machozi ya watu walioteswa. Hakuna anaye mfariji kwa ajili yao. Nguvu iko katika mikononi mwa watesaji, lakini wateswaji hawana mfariji.
And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.
2 Hivyo nikawapongeza watu walio kufa, wale ambao tayari wamekufa, sio wanaoishi, wale ambao wako hai.
And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
3 Ingawa, bahati zaidi kuliko wote wawili ni yule ambaye hajaishi, yeye ambaye hajaona matendo yoyote mabaya ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua.
And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.
4 Kisha nikaona kwamba kila tendo la kazi na kila kazi ya utashi ikawa wivu wa jirani ya mtu. Huu pia ni mvuke na kujaribu kuchunga upepo.
And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 Mpumbavu hukunja mikono yake na hafanyi kazi, hivyo chakula chake in mwili wake.
The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
6 Lakini afadhari konzi ya faida pamoja na kazi ya haraka kuliko konzi mbili pamoja na kazi ambayo hujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'
7 Kisha nikafikiri tena zaidi kuhusu ubatili, mvuke upoteao zaidi chini ya jua.
And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:
8 Kuna aina ya mtu ambaye yuko peke yake. Hana mtu, hana mwana, wala ndugu. Hakuna mwisho wa kazi zake zote, na macho yake hayatosheki kwa kupata utajiri. Anashangaa, “Ninajishumbua na kuharibu furaha yangu kwa ajili ya nani?” Huu pia ni mvuke, hali mbaya.
There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.
9 Watu wawili wanafanya vizuri zaidi ya mmoja; kwa pamoja wanaweza kupata malipo mazuri kwa ajili ya kazi yao.
The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.
10 Kwa kuwa kama mmoja akianguka, mwingine anaweza kumwinua rafiki yake. Ingawa, huzuni humfuata yeye aliye peke yake anapoanguka kama hakuna mtu wa kumwinua.
For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!
11 Na kama wawili wakilala pamoja, wanaweza kupata joto, lakini mtu mmoja anawezaje kupata joto akiwa mwenyewe?
Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how hath one heat?
12 Mtu akiwa peke yake anaweza kushindwa nguvu, lakini wawili wanaweza kusimama katika shambulio, na kama ya nyuzi tatu haikatika upesi.
And if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.
13 Ni bora kuwa kijana masikini kuliko kuwa mfalme mzee na mpumbavu ambaye hajui jinsi ya kusikiliza maonyo.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.
14 Hii ni kweli hata kama mtu mdogo anapokuwa mfalme kutoka gerezani, au hata kama alizaliwa masikini katika ufalme wake.
For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.
15 Ingawa, niliona kila mmoja aliye kuwa hai na kuzunguka chini ya jua wakijitia chini kwa kijana mdogo aliyeinuka kama mfalme.
I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his place;
16 Hakuna mwisho kwa watu wote wanaotaka kumtii mfalme mpya, lakini wengi wao hawatamsifu yeye. Hakika hali hii ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
