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 one’s day of death is better than his day of 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 enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, 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 a sad countenance is good for the heart.
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 pleasure.
5 Ni bora kusikiliza maonyo ya mtu mwenye hekima kuliko kusikiliza wimbo wa wapumbavu.
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Kwa kuwa kama mlio wa miiba chini ya chungu, ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha wapumbavu. Huu pia ni mvuke.
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7 kweli jeuri humfanya mtu mwenye hekima kuwa mpumbavu, na rusha huharibu moyo.
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Ni heri mwisho wa jambo kuliko mwanzo; na watu wenye uvumilivu ni bora kuliko wenye majivuno rohoni.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9 Usikasirike haraka rohoni mwako, kwa sababu hasira hukaa katika mioyo ya wapumbavu.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
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 old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 Hekima ni njema kama vitu vya thamani tunavyorithi kutoka kwa wazazi wetu. Inatoa faida kwa wale wanaoliona jua.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits 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, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
13 Tafakaria matendo ya Mungu: Ni nani awezaye kuimarisha chochote alichokipindisha?
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
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, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come 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.
In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16 Usiwe mwenye haki katika macho yako mwenyewe. Kwa nini kujiharibu mwenyewe?
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Usiwe mwovu sana au mpumbavu. Kwa nini ufe kabla ya wakati wako?
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. 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 to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
19 Hekima ina nguvu ndani ya mwenye hekima, zaidi ya watawala kumi katika mji.
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20 Hakuna mtu mwenye haki juu ya nchi anayefanya mema na hatendi dhambi.
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Usisikilize kila neno linaongelewa, kwa sababu unaweza kusikia mtumishi wako anakulaani.
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22 Vivyo hivyo unafahamu mwenyewe ndani ya moyo wako umewalaani wengine mara kadhaa.
For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 Haya yote nimeyathibitisha kwa hekima. Nikasema, “nitakuwa mwenye hekima,” lakini zaidi ambavyo ningekuwa.
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24 Hekima i mbali na kina sana. Ni nani awezaye kuipata?
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
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 directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of 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.
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
27 “Tafakari kile nilichovumbua,” asema Mwalimu. “Nimekuwa nikiongeza uvumbuzi mmoja hadi mwingine ili kwamba nipate ufafanuzi wa ukweli.
“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to 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.
While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
29 Nimegundua hili: kwamba Mungu alimuumba binadamu akiwa mnyoofu, lakini wametoka katika hali ya unyofu wakitafuta magumu mengi.
Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
