Ecclesiastes 4

1 Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.

Kisha tena nikafikiri kuhusu mateso yote yaliyo chini ya jua. Tazama machozi ya watu walioteswa. Hakuna anaye mfariji kwa ajili yao. Nguvu iko katika mikononi mwa watesaji, lakini wateswaji hawana mfariji.

2 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;

Hivyo nikawapongeza watu walio kufa, wale ambao tayari wamekufa, sio wanaoishi, wale ambao wako hai.

3 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.

Ingawa, bahati zaidi kuliko wote wawili ni yule ambaye hajaishi, yeye ambaye hajaona matendo yoyote mabaya ambayo yanafanyika chini ya jua.

4 Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Kisha nikaona kwamba kila tendo la kazi na kila kazi ya utashi ikawa wivu wa jirani ya mtu. Huu pia ni mvuke na kujaribu kuchunga upepo.

5 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.

Mpumbavu hukunja mikono yake na hafanyi kazi, hivyo chakula chake in mwili wake.

6 Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.

Lakini afadhari konzi ya faida pamoja na kazi ya haraka kuliko konzi mbili pamoja na kazi ambayo hujaribu kuuchunga upepo.

7 Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: —

Kisha nikafikiri tena zaidi kuhusu ubatili, mvuke upoteao zaidi chini ya jua.

8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

Kuna aina ya mtu ambaye yuko peke yake. Hana mtu, hana mwana, wala ndugu. Hakuna mwisho wa kazi zake zote, na macho yake hayatosheki kwa kupata utajiri. Anashangaa, “Ninajishumbua na kuharibu furaha yangu kwa ajili ya nani?” Huu pia ni mvuke, hali mbaya.

9 Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.

Watu wawili wanafanya vizuri zaidi ya mmoja; kwa pamoja wanaweza kupata malipo mazuri kwa ajili ya kazi yao.

10 For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!

Kwa kuwa kama mmoja akianguka, mwingine anaweza kumwinua rafiki yake. Ingawa, huzuni humfuata yeye aliye peke yake anapoanguka kama hakuna mtu wa kumwinua.

11 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?

Na kama wawili wakilala pamoja, wanaweza kupata joto, lakini mtu mmoja anawezaje kupata joto akiwa mwenyewe?

12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.

Mtu akiwa peke yake anaweza kushindwa nguvu, lakini wawili wanaweza kusimama katika shambulio, na kama ya nyuzi tatu haikatika upesi.

13 Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.

Ni bora kuwa kijana masikini kuliko kuwa mfalme mzee na mpumbavu ambaye hajui jinsi ya kusikiliza maonyo.

14 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.

Hii ni kweli hata kama mtu mdogo anapokuwa mfalme kutoka gerezani, au hata kama alizaliwa masikini katika ufalme wake.

15 I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —

Ingawa, niliona kila mmoja aliye kuwa hai na kuzunguka chini ya jua wakijitia chini kwa kijana mdogo aliyeinuka kama mfalme.

16 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Hakuna mwisho kwa watu wote wanaotaka kumtii mfalme mpya, lakini wengi wao hawatamsifu yeye. Hakika hali hii ni mvuke na kujaribu kuuchunga upepo.