Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
Kuna ubaya ambao nimeuona chini ya jua, na ni mbaya kwa watu.
2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
Mungu anaweza kumpa mtu mali na utajiri na heshima kwa kiasi kwamba hakosi chochote anachokitamani mwenyewe, lakini kisha hampi uwezo wa kukifurahia. Badala yake mtu mwingine hutumia vitu vyake. Huu ni mvuke, teso baya.
3 If a man brought forth an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
Kama mtu akizaa watoto mia moja na kuishi miaka mingi, ili kwamba siku za miaka yake ni nyingi, lakini kama moyo wake hautosheki kwa mema na hazikwi kwa heshima, kisha ninasema kwamba, mtoto aliyezaliwa akiwa amekufa ni bora kuliko alivyo.
4 For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
Hata mtoto huyo amezaliwa bila faida na anapita katika giza, na jina lake linabaki limefichika.
5 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.
Ingawa mtoto huyu haoni jua au kujua kitu chochote, ana pumziko ingawa mtu huyo hakupumzika.
6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
Hata kama mtu akiishi miaka elfu mbili lakini hajifunzi kufuraia vitu vizuri, aenda sehemu moja kama mtu yeyote yule.
7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
Ingawa kazi yote ya mtu ni kujaza mdomo wake, ila hamu yake haishibi.
8 For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living?
Hakika ni faida gani aliyo nayo mwenye hekima kuliko mpumbavu? Ni faida gani aliyo nayo masikini hata kama anajua jinsi ya kutenda mbele ya watu?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ni bora kuridhika na kile ambacho macho hukiona kuliko kutamani kile ambacho hamu isiyo tulia inatamani, ambayo pia ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.
10 That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Chochote ambacho kimekuwepo, tayari kimekwisha kupewa jina lake, na vile mtu alivyo ni kama tayari amekwisha fahamika. Hivyo imekuwa haifai kugombana na yule ambaye ni muhukumu mkuu wa wote.
11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
Maneno mengi ambayo yanaongelewa, ndivyo yasiyo na maana yanaongezeka, kwa hiyo ni faida gani iliyopo kwa mwanadamu?
12 For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Kwa kuwa ni nani ajuaye nini kilicho kizuri kwa mtu katika maisha yake wakati wa ubatili wake, siku zilizo hesabika ambazo kwa hizo anapita kama kivuri? Ni nina anayeweza kumwambia mtu kile kitakacho kuja chini ya jua baada ya kupita?
