Mhubiri 1
1 Haya ni maneno ya Mwalimu, mwana wa Daudi na mfalme katika Yerusalemu.
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 Mwalimu asema hivi, “Kama mvuke wa ukungu, kama upepo mwanana katika upepo, kila kitu hutoweka na kuacha maswali mengi.
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 Ni faida gani wanadamu huipata kutoka katika kazi zote wazifanyazo chini ya jua?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 Kizazi kimoja huenda, na kizazi kingine huja, lakini nchi yabaki milele.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 Jua huchomoza na jua huzama na kwenda kwa kasi, na kurudi mahali linapochomozea tena.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
6 Upepo huvuma kusini na huzunguka kasikazi, na mara zote ukizunguka katika njia yake na kurudi tena.
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
7 Mito yote hutiririka katika bahari, lakini bahari haijai. Mahali mito inakoenda, ndiko inakoenda 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 Kila kitu huwa uchovu, na hakuna yeyote awezae kukielezea. Jicho halishibina kile linachokiona, wala sikio halishibi na kile linachosikia.
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 Chochote kilichopo ndicho kitakachokuwepo, kila kilichofanyika ndicho kitakachofanyika. Hakuna jipya 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 Je kuna jambo lolote ambalo watu wanaweza kusema, 'Tazama, hili ni jipya'? Chochote kilichopo kimekwisha kuwepo muda mwingi, wakati uliokuwepo kabla yetu.
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 anayeonekana kukumbuka kilichotokea nyakati za zamani. Na mambo yaliyo tokea siku zilizo pita na yale yatakayo tokea siku za mbele nayo hayatakumbukwa.”
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 ni mwalimu, na nimekuwa mfalme juu ya Isareli katika Yerusalemu.
I am the Teacher, and I have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Nilitia akili yangu katika kusoma na kutafuta kwa hekima kila kitu kinachofanywa chini ya mbingu. Hili nalo ni jukumu zito ambalo Mungu amewapa wana wa watu kujishughulisha nalo.
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 Nimeona matendo yote ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua, na tazama yote ni mvuke ni kujaribu kuuchunga 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 Palipopinda hapawezi kunyoshwa! Kisicho kuwepo hakiwezi kuhesabiwa!
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
16 Nimeuambia moyo wangu nikisema, “Tazama, nimepata hekima kubwa kuliko walioishi Yerusalemu kabla yangu. Akili yangu imeona hekima kubwa na ufahamu.”
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 nimetia moyo wangu kujua hekima na upumbuvu na ujinga. Nikagundua kuwa hili nalo pia lilikuwa ni kujaribu kuuchunga 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 katika wingi wa hekima kuna masumbufu mengi, naye aongezae ujuzi, aongeza masikitiko.
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
