Mhubiri 5
1 Linda mwenendo wako unapoenda kwenye nyumba ya Mungu. Nenda kule usikilize. Kusikiliza ni bora kuliko wapumbavu wanapotoa dhabihu wakati hawajuikuwa wanachofanya katika maisha ni kibaya.
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
2 Usiwe mwepesi wa kuongea kwa mdomo wako, na usiufanye moyo wako kuleta jambo lolote kwa haraka mbele za Mungu. Mungu yuko mbinguni, lakini uko chini, kwa hiyo maneno yako yawe machache.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3 Kama una mambo mengi ya kufanya na kuhangaika, pengine utapata ndoto mbaya. Na pengine utaongea maneno mengi ya upumbavu.
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice [is known] by a multitude of words.
4 Ukiweka nadhili kwa Mungu, usichelewe kuifanya, kwa kuwa Mungu hafurahii upumbavu. Fanya kile ulichoapa utakifanya.
When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for [he hath] no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5 Ni bora kutokuweka nadhiri kuliko kuweka nadhiri ambayo usiyoiondoa.
Better [is it] that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.
6 Usiuruhusu mdomo wako kusababisha mwili wako kutenda dhambi. Usiseme kwa mtumwa wa kuhani, “Kile kiapo kilikuwa kwa makosa.” Kwani nini kumfanya Mungu akasirike kwa kuapa kwa uongo, kumchochea Mungu aharibu kazi ya mikono yako?
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it [was] an error: why should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7 Kwa kuwa katika ndoto nyingi, kama ilivyo katika maneno mengi, kuna mvuke ubatili. Hivyo mwogope Mungu.
For in the multitude of dreams and many words [there are] also [divers] vanities: but fear thou God.
8 Unapomwona masikini akiteswa na kunyang'anywa haki na kutendewa vibaya katika jimbo lako, usishangae kama kwamba hakuna anaye fahamu, kwa sababu kuna watu katika mamlaka ambao hutazama, kuna hata walio juu yao.
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perversion of judgment and justice in a province, wonder not at the matter: for [he that is] higher than the highest regardeth; and [there are] higher than they.
9 Kwa nyongeza uzalishaji wa ardhi ni kwa kila mmoja, na mfalme mwenyewe huchukua uzalishaji kutoka mashambani.
Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.
10 Yeyote apendaye fedha hatatosheka na fedha, na yeyote apendaye utajiri mara zote hutaka zaidi. Huu pia ni mvuke.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this [is] also vanity.
11 Kadri mafanikio yanapoongezeka, ndivyo wanavyoongezeka watu wanaotumia. Kuna faida gani katika utajiri kwa mmiliki isipokuwa kuutazama kwa macho yake?
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good [is there] to the owners of them, saving the beholding [of them] with their eyes?
12 Usingizi wa mfanyakazi ni mtamu, kama anakula kidogo au sana, lakini utajiri wa mtu tajiri haumuruhusu yeye kulala vizuri.
The sleep of a laboring man [is] sweet, whether he eateth little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Kuna jambo baya zaidi ambalo nimeliona chini ya jua: mali iliyowekwa akiba na mwenye nayo, inamsababishia taabu mwenyewe.
There is a grievous evil [which] I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept for the owners of them to their hurt.
14 Wakati tajiri anapopoteza utajiri wake kwa bahati mbaya, mwana wake, ambaye amemzaa, habakiziwi chochote mikononi mwake.
But those riches perish by evil labor: and he begetteth a son, and [there is] nothing in his hand.
15 Kama mtu azaliwavyo uchi kutoka tumboni mwa mamaye, vivyo hivyo ataondoka katika maisha haya akiwa uchi. Hachukui chochote kutoka katika kazi yake.
As he came into the world, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 Jambo jingine baya kabisa, kama mtu alivyo kuja ni lazima aende vivyo hivyo. Hivyo ni faida gani mtu yeyote aipatayo katika kufanya kwa ajili ya upepo?
And this also [is] a grievous evil, [that] in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath labored for the wind?
17 Wakati wa siku zake anakula gizani na anafedheheshwa sana na magonjwa na hasira.
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and [he hath] much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
18 Tazama, kile nilichokiona kuwa kizuri kufaaa ni kula na knywa na kufurahia faida kutoka katika kazi zetu zote, tuzifanyazo chini ya jua wakati wa siku za maisha haya ambayo Mungu ametupa. Kwa kuwa huu ni wajibu wa mtu.
Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.
19 Yeyote ambaye Mungu amempa mali na utajiri na uwezo wa kupokea sehemu yake na kufurahi katika kazi yake hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu.
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this [is] the gift of God.
20 Kwa kuwa mara kadhaa hakumbuki siku za maisha yake, kwa sababu Mungu anamfanya kuhangaika na mambo ambayo anafurahia kuyafanya.
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.
