Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove you with delight, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
Nikasema moyoni, “Njoo, na nitakujaribu kwa kwa furaha. Kwa hiyo furahia.” Lakini tazama, huu nao ulikuwa ni upepo wa muda.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of delight, What does it?
Nikasema juu ya kicheko, “Ni wazimu,” na kuhusu furaha, “Yafaa nini?”
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
Nikajipeleleza moyoni mwangu katika jinsi ya kutimiza hamu yangu kwa mvinyo. Nikaruhusu akili yangu iongozwe na hekima ingawa bado nilikuwa nikishikilia ujinga. Nilitaka kutafuta jambo lililo jema kwa wanadamu kufanya chini ya mbingu wakati wa siku za maisha yao.
4 I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards:
Nilitimiza mambo makubwa. Nilijenga nyumba kwa ajili yangu na kupanda miti ya mizabibu.
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
Nilitengeneza bustani na viwanja; nikapanda aina zote za matunda ndani yake.
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees:
Nikatengeneza mabwawa ya maji ili kumwagilia msitu mahali miti ilikuwa imepandwa.
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
Nilinunua watumwa wa kiume na wa kiume; nilikuwa na watumwa waliozaliwa katika ikulu yangu. Pia nikawa na makundi makubwa na wanyama wa kufugwa, zaidi ya mfalme yeyote aliyetawala kabla yangu katika Yerusalemu.
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the exclusive treasure of kings and of the provinces: I got me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
Pia nilijikusanyia fedha na dhahabu, hazina ya wafalme na majimbo. Nikapata waimbaji wanaume na wanawake kwa ajili yangu, na kufurahia kutoka kwa wana wa wanadamu, masulia na wanawake.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
Hivyo nikawa mkuu na tajiri kuliko wote waliokuwa Yerusalemu kabla yangu, na hekima yangu ilikuwa ndani yangu.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
Lolote ambalo macho yangu yalikitamani sikuyazuia. Sikuuzuia moyo wangu katika furaha yeyote, kwa sababu moyo wangu ulifurahi katika katka kazi yangu zote na furaha ilikuwa ni tunu kwa kazi zangu zote.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
Kisha nikatazama matendo yote ambayo mikono yangu iliyokwisha kuyatimiliza na juu ya kazi niliyokuwa nimeifanya, lakini tena, kila kitu kilikuwa ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo. Hakukuwa na faida chini ya jua.
12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.
Kisha nikageuka kuipambanua hekima, na upumbavu na ujinga. Kwa maana ni kitu gani mfalme anayekuja baada yangu afanye, ambacho hakijafanyika?
13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
Kisha nikaanza kuelewa kwamba hekima ina faida kuliko upumbavu, kama nuru ilivyo bora kuliko giza.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happens to them all.
Mwenye hekima hutumia macho yake katika kichwa chake kuona mahali anakoenda, lakini mpumbavu hutembea katika giza, ingawa ninafahamu kuwa mwisho wa aina moja umetunzwa kwa kila mmoja.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
Kisha nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Kinachotokea kwa mpumbavu, ndicho kitachotokea na kwangu. Hivyo kuna utofauti gani kama mimi ni mwenye hekima sana?” Nikahitimisha moyoni mwangu, “Huu pia ni mvuke tu.”
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dies the wise man? as the fool.
Kwa kuwa mwenye hekima, kama mpumbavu, hakumbukwi kwa muda mrefu. Katika siku zijazo, kila kitu kitakuwa kimesahauliwa. Mwenye hekima hufa kama navyokufa mpumbavu.
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Hivyo nikauchukia uhai kwa sababu kazi zote zilizofanyika chini ya jua zilikuwa mbaya kwangu. Hii ni kwa sababu kila kitu ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
Nikachukia yote niliyoyatimiza, ambayo nilikuwa nimekwisha yafanya chini ya jua kwa sababu ni lazima niyaache kwa mtu anaye kuja baada yangu.
19 And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
Na ni nani ajuaye kama atakuwa mwenye hekima au mpumbavu? Ila atakuwa msimamizi juu ya kila kitu chini ya jua ambayo kazi yangu na hekima yangu imeyajenga. Huu pia ni mvuke.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
Kwa hiyo moyo wangu ukaanza kukata tamaa juu ya kazi zote nilizozifanya chini ya jua.
21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
Kwa kuwa kunaweza kuwa na mtu anayefanya kazi kwa hekima, ufahamu, na umahili, lakini ataacha kila kitu alichonacho kwa mtu ambaye hajafanya chochote. Huu nao ni mvuke na hatari kubwa.
22 For what has man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he has laboured under the sun?
Kwa maana ni faida gani mtu hupata ambaye hufanya kazi kwa juhudi na kujaribu moyoni mwake kutimiza kazi zake chini ya jua?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart takes not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
Kila siku kazi yake ni maumivu na masikitiko, hivyo wakati wa usiku roho yake haipumziki. Huu pia ni mvuke.
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
Hakuna jambo jema kwa mtu yeyote zaidi ya kula na kunywa na kuridhika na kile kilichochema katika kazi yake. Nikaona kwamba ukweli huu unatoka kutoka mkononi mwa Mungu.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
Kwa kuwa ni nani anaweza kula au anaweza kupata furaha yoyote tofauti na Mungu?
26 For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Kwa kuwa kwa kila anayemfurahisha yeye, Mungu humpa hekimana ufahamu ba furaha. Ingawa, kwa mwenye dhambi humpa kazi ya kukusanya na kutunza ili kwamba ampe mtu anayempendeza Mungu. Huu pia ni sawa na mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
