Mhubiri 6
1 Kuna ubaya ambao nimeuona chini ya jua, na ni mbaya kwa watu.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is great on men:
2 Mungu anaweza kumpa mtu mali na utajiri na heshima kwa kiasi kwamba hakosi chochote anachokitamani mwenyewe, lakini kisha hampi uwezo wa kukifurahia. Badala yake mtu mwingine hutumia vitu vyake. Huu ni mvuke, teso baya.
[There is many] a man to whom God hath given riches, property, and honor, and nothing is wanting for his soul of all that he longeth for: yet God empowereth him not to eat thereof, but a stranger will consume it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 Kama mtu akizaa watoto mia moja na kuishi miaka mingi, ili kwamba siku za miaka yake ni nyingi, lakini kama moyo wake hautosheki kwa mema na hazikwi kwa heshima, kisha ninasema kwamba, mtoto aliyezaliwa akiwa amekufa ni bora kuliko alivyo.
If a man were to beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years were many, and his soul were not satisfied with what is good, and he have not had even a burial: then do I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 Hata mtoto huyo amezaliwa bila faida na anapita katika giza, na jina lake linabaki limefichika.
For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.
5 Ingawa mtoto huyu haoni jua au kujua kitu chochote, ana pumziko ingawa mtu huyo hakupumzika.
Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: this hath more rest than the other.
6 Hata kama mtu akiishi miaka elfu mbili lakini hajifunzi kufuraia vitu vizuri, aenda sehemu moja kama mtu yeyote yule.
Yea, though he were to live a thousand years twice told, and had not seen any good— doth not every one go to one place?
7 Ingawa kazi yote ya mtu ni kujaza mdomo wake, ila hamu yake haishibi.
All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never filled.
8 Hakika ni faida gani aliyo nayo mwenye hekima kuliko mpumbavu? Ni faida gani aliyo nayo masikini hata kama anajua jinsi ya kutenda mbele ya watu?
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk [properly] before the living?
9 Ni bora kuridhika na kile ambacho macho hukiona kuliko kutamani kile ambacho hamu isiyo tulia inatamani, ambayo pia ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
Better is what one seeth with the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
10 Chochote ambacho kimekuwepo, tayari kimekwisha kupewa jina lake, na vile mtu alivyo ni kama tayari amekwisha fahamika. Hivyo imekuwa haifai kugombana na yule ambaye ni muhukumu mkuu wa wote.
That which hath been is already called by its name, and it is known that he is a man: and he is not able to contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Maneno mengi ambayo yanaongelewa, ndivyo yasiyo na maana yanaongezeka, kwa hiyo ni faida gani iliyopo kwa mwanadamu?
For there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?
12 Kwa kuwa ni nani ajuaye nini kilicho kizuri kwa mtu katika maisha yake wakati wa ubatili wake, siku zilizo hesabika ambazo kwa hizo anapita kama kivuri? Ni nina anayeweza kumwambia mtu kile kitakacho kuja chini ya jua baada ya kupita?
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, the number of the days of his vain life, that he should spend them as a shadow? for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
