Ecclesiastes 3
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Kwa kuwa kila kitu na wakati wake, na majira kwa kila kusudi chini ya mbingu.
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Kuna wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kung'oa yaliyopandwa,
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomo na wakati wa kujenga.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Kuna wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati kucheza,
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
wakati wa kutupa mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia watu wengine wakati wa kutokumbatia.
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Kuna wakati wa kutafuta vitu na wakati wa kutotafuta, wakati wa kutunza vitu na wakati wa kuvitupa,
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
wakati kuchana mavazi na wakati wa kuyashona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Kuna wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.
9 What profit has he that works in that wherein he labours?
Ni faida gani mfanyakazi aipatayo katika kazi yake?
10 I have seen the travail, which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
Nimeona kazi ambayo Mungu amewapa wanadamu kuitimiza.
11 He has made every thing beautiful in his time: also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.
Mungu amefanya kila kitu kufaa kwa wakati wake. Pia ameweka umilele ndani ya mioyo yao. Lakini mwanadamu hawezi kuelewa matendo ambayo Mungu ameyafanya, tangu mwanzo wao hadi mwisho.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
Ninajua kuwa hakuna kilicho bora kwa mtu yeyote kuliko kufurahi na kutenda mema maadamu anaishi-
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
na kwamba kila mmoja anapaswa ale na kunywa na anapaswa kuelewa jinsi ya kufurahia mazuri ambayo yanatoka katika kazi zake zote. Hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu.
14 I know that, whatsoever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him.
Ninajua kwamba chochote afanyacho Mungu kinadumu milele. Hakuna kinaweza kuongezwa au kuondolea, kwa sababu Mungu ndiye aliyekifanya, ili kwamba watu wamsogelee kwa heshima.
15 That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires that which is past.
Chochote kilichopo kimekwisha kuwepo; chochote kitakachokuwepo kimekwisha kuwepo. Mungu huwafanya wanadamu kutafuka vitu vilivyjificha.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
Na nimeona kwamba chini ya jua ubaya upo mahali palipopaswa kuwa na haki, na sehemu ya haki mara nyingi ina ubaya.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atahukumu mwenye haki na mbaya kwa wakati muafaka kwa kila jambo na kila tendo.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, “Mungu huwajaribu wanadamu kuwaonyesha kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.”
19 For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Kwa kuwa mwisho watoto wa wanadamu na mwisho wa wanyama ni sawa. Kifo cha mmoja ni sawa na kifo cha mwingine. Wote wana pumzi sawa. Hakuna faida kwa mwanadamu zaidi ya wanyama. Kwa kuwa hakuna kila kitu isipokuwa pumzi?
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Kila kitu kinaenda sehemu moja. Kila kitu kinatoka mavumbini, na kila kitu kinarudi katika mavumbini.
21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?
Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mwanadamu inaenda juu na roho ya wanyama inaenda chini ya nchi?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
kwa hiyo tena nikatambua kwamba hakuna lililo jema kwa yeyote zaidi ya kufurahia kazi yake, kwa kuwa hilo ndilo jukumu lake. Ni nani awezaye kumleta tena kuona kinachotokea baada yake?
