Mhubiri 7
1 Jina zuri ni bora kuliko manukato ya gharama, na siku ya kufa ni bora kuliko siku ya kuzaliwa.
A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2 Ni bora kwenda kwenye nyumba ya maombolezo kuliko nyumba ya karamu, kwa kuwa maombolezo huja kwa watu wote wakati wa mwisho wa uhai, kwa hiyo watu wanaoishi ni lazima waweke hili moyoni.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
3 Huzuni ni bora kuliko kicheko, kwa kuwa baada ya uso wa huzuni huja furaha ya moyo.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4 Moyo wa mwenye hekima uko katika nyumba ya maombolezo, lakini moyo wa wapumbavu uko katika nyumba ya karamu.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Ni bora kusikiliza maonyo ya mtu mwenye hekima kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Kwa kuwa kama mlio wa miiba chini ya chungu, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Huu pia ni mvuke.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 kweli jeuri humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, na rusha huharibu moyo.
Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8 Ni heri mwisho wa jambo kuliko mwanzo; na watu wenye uvumilivu ni bora kuliko wenye majivuno rohoni.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Usikasirike haraka rohoni mwako, kwa sababu hasira hukaa katika mioyo ya wapumbavu.
Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Usiseme, “Kwa nini siku za zamani zilikuwa bora kuliko siku hizi?” Kwa kuwa sio kwa sababu ya hekima kwamba unauliza swali hili.
Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11 Hekima ni njema kama vitu vya thamani tunavyorithi kutoka kwa wazazi wetu. Inatoa faida kwa wale wanaoliona jua.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12 Kwa kuwa hekima hutoa ulinzi kama vile fedha inavyoweza kutoa ulinzi, lakini faida ya maarifa ni kwamba hekima humpa uhai kwa yeyote aliye nayo.
For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 Tafakaria matendo ya Mungu: Ni nani awezaye kuimarisha chochote alichokipindisha?
Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?
14 Wakati nyakati vinakuwa njema, ishi kwa furaha katika hali hiyo, lakini wakati unapokuwa mbaya, tafakari hili: Mungu ameruhusu hali zote ziwepo, Kwa sababu hii, hakuna mwanadamu yeyote atakaye fahamu chochote kinacho kuja baada yake.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15 Nimeona mambo mengi katika siku zangu za ubatili. Kuna watu wenye haki ambao wanaangamia licha ya kwamba wana haki, na kuna watu waovu wanaoishi maisha marefu licha ya kwamba ni waovu.
All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16 Usiwe mwenye haki katika macho yako mwenyewe. Kwa nini kujiharibu mwenyewe?
Do not be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Usiwe mwovu sana au mpumbavu. Kwa nini ufe kabla ya wakati wako?
Do not be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18 Ni vyema kwamba ushike hekima hii, na kwamba usiache haki iende zake. Kwa kuwa mtu amchae Mungu atatimiza ahadi zake zote.
It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also do not withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
19 Hekima ina nguvu ndani ya mwenye hekima, zaidi ya watawala kumi katika mji.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Hakuna mtu mwenye haki juu ya nchi anayefanya mema na hatendi dhambi.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin.
21 Usisikilize kila neno linaongelewa, kwa sababu unaweza kusikia mtumishi wako anakulaani.
Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22 Vivyo hivyo unafahamu mwenyewe ndani ya moyo wako umewalaani wengine mara kadhaa.
for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23 Haya yote nimeyathibitisha kwa hekima. Nikasema, “nitakuwa mwenye hekima,” lakini zaidi ambavyo ningekuwa.
All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24 Hekima i mbali na kina sana. Ni nani awezaye kuipata?
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25 Nikageuza moyo wangu kujifunza kuchunguza na kutafuta hekima na ufafanuzi wa ukweli, na kufahamu kwamba ubaya ni ujinga na kwamba upumbavu ni wazimu.
I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26 Nikapata kufahamu kwamba uchungu kuliko kifo, ndivo alivyo mwanamke yeyote ambaye moyo wake umejaa mitego, na nyavu, na ambaye mikono yake ni minyororo. Yeyote ampendezaye Mungu ataponyoka kutoka kwake, lakini mwenye dhambi atachukuliwa naye.
I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27 “Tafakari kile nilichovumbua,” asema Mwalimu. “Nimekuwa nikiongeza uvumbuzi mmoja hadi mwingine ili kwamba nipate ufafanuzi wa ukweli.
“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation
28 Hii ndiyo bado natafuta, lakini bado sijapata. Sikupata mwanamme mmoja mwenye haki miongoni mwa elfu, lakini sikupata mwanamke miongoni mwa wale wote.
which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.
29 Nimegundua hili: kwamba Mungu alimuumba binadamu akiwa mnyoofu, lakini wametoka katika hali ya unyofu wakitafuta magumu mengi.
Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”
