Mhubiri 1
1 Maneno ya Mhubiri, mwana wa Daudi, mfalme huko Yerusalemu:
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 “Ubatili mtupu! Ubatili mtupu!” Mhubiri anasema. “Ubatili mtupu! Kila kitu ni ubatili.”
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 Mwanadamu anafaidi nini kutokana na kazi yake yote anayotaabikia chini ya jua?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 Vizazi huja na vizazi hupita, lakini dunia inadumu milele.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 Jua huchomoza na jua huzama, nalo huharakisha kurudi mawioni.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
6 Upepo huvuma kuelekea kusini na kugeukia kaskazini, hurudia mzunguko huo huo, daima ukirudia njia yake.
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
7 Mito yote hutiririka baharini, hata hivyo bahari kamwe haijai. Mahali mito inapotoka, huko hurudi tena.
All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Vitu vyote vinachosha, zaidi kuliko mtu anavyoweza kusema. Jicho kamwe halitosheki kutazama, wala sikio halishibi kusikia.
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
9 Kile kilichokuwepo kitakuwepo tena, kile kilichofanyika kitafanyika tena, hakuna kilicho kipya chini ya jua.
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new under the sun.
10 Kuna kitu chochote ambacho mtu anaweza kusema, “Tazama! Kitu hiki ni kipya”? Kilikuwepo tangu zamani za kale, kilikuwepo kabla ya wakati wetu.
Is there anything about which it may be said, 'Look, this is new'? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long before us.
11 Hakuna kumbukumbu ya watu wa zamani, hata na wale ambao hawajaja bado hawatakumbukwa na wale watakaofuata baadaye.
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”
12 Mimi, Mhubiri, nilikuwa mfalme wa Israeli katika Yerusalemu.
I am the Teacher, and I have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Nilitumia muda wangu wote kujifunza na kuvumbua kwa hekima yote yanayofanyika chini ya mbingu. Jinsi gani Mungu ameweka mzigo mzito juu ya wanadamu!
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
14 Nimeshaona mambo yote yanayotendeka chini ya jua, hayo yote ni ubatili, hii ni kukimbiza upepo.
I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 Kilichopindika hakiwezi kunyooshwa, kile ambacho hakipo haiwezekani kukihesabu.
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
16 Niliwaza mwenyewe, “Tazama, nimekua na kuongezeka katika hekima kuliko yeyote aliyewahi kutawala Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Nimekuwa na uzoefu mkubwa wa hekima na maarifa.”
I have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great wisdom and knowledge.”
17 Ndipo nilipojitahidi kufahamu kutofautisha hekima, wazimu na upumbavu, lakini nikatambua hata hili nalo ni kukimbiza upepo.
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18 Kwa kuwa hekima nyingi huleta huzuni kubwa; maarifa yanapoongezeka, masikitiko yanaongezeka.
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
