Mhubiri 9

1 Kwa kuwa nilifikiri haya yote katika akili zangu kufahamu kuhusu watu wenye haki na wenye hekima na matendo yao. Wote wako katika mikono ya Mungu. Hakuna anayefahamu kama upendo au chuki itakuja kwa mtu.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

2 kila mmoja ana mwisho sawa. Mwisho sawa una subiria watu wenye haki na waovu, wema, walio safi na wasio safi, yeye atoaye dhabibu na yule asiye dhabihu. Kama vile watu wema watakufa wenye dhambi nao watakufa vivyo hivyo. kama vile yule anayeapa atakavyo kufa, vivyo hivyo mtu yule aogopaye kuweka kiapo naye atakufa.

All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3 Kuna mwisho mwovu kwa kila kitu kinachofanyika chini ya jua, na mwisho kwa kila mtu. Moyo wa mwanadamu umejaa uovu, na wazimu uko katika mioyo yao wakati wanaishi. Hivyo baada ya hilo wanaenda kwa wafu.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4 Kwa kuwa yeyote anayeungana na wote walio hai kuna tumaini, kama vile mbwa aliye hai ni bora kuliko simba aliye kufa.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 Kwa kuwa watu walio hai, lakini walio kufa hawajui chochote. Hawana tena tuzo yeyote kwa sababu kumbukumbu yao imesahaulika.

For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Upendo wao, chuki na wivu vimekatiliwa mbali muda mwingi. Hawatapata sehemu katika kitu chochote kinachofanyika chini ya jua.

As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is long ago perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

7 Nenda zako, kula mkate wako kwa furaha, na kunywa mvinyo wako na moyo wa furaha, kwa kuwa Mungu huruhusu kusherehekea kazi njema.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.

8 Nguo zako ziwe nyeupe siku zote, na kichwa chako kipake mafuta.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no oil.

9 Ishi kwa furaha na mwanamke umpendaye siku zako zote za maisha yako ya ubatili, siku ambazo Mungu amekupatia chini ya jua wakati wa siku zako za ubatili. Hiyo ni thawabu kwa ajili ya kazi yako chini ya jua.

Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.

10 Chochote mkono wako unakifanya, kifanye kwa nguvu zako kwa sababu hakuna kazi, au ufafanuzi au ujuzi au hekima katika Sheol, unapoenda. (Sheol h7585)

Whatsoever thy hand attaineth to do by thy strength, that do; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)

11 Nimeona baadhi ya vitu vyakuvutia chini ya jua: Mashindano hayatokani na watu wenye mbio. Vita havitokani na watu imara. Mkate hautokani na watu wenye busara. Mali hazitokani na watu wenye ufahamu. Kibali hakitokani na watu wenye ujuzi. Badala yake muda na bahati huwaathiri wao wote.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12 Kwa kuwa hakuna anaye fahamu wakati wake wa kufa, kama vile samaki wanaswavyo katika nyavu ya kifo, au kama vile ndege akamatwavyo katika mtego. Kama wanyama wanadamu wamefungwa katika nyakati mbaya ambazo ghafla huwaangukia.

For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 Pia nimeona hekima chini ya jua kwa namna ambayo kwangu ilionekana kubwa.

This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14 Kulikuwa na mji mdogo na watu wachache ndani yake, na mfalme mkuu akaja kinyume na mji huo na akauzingira na akajenga mahandaki kwa ajili ya kuushambulia.

there was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it;

15 Na katika mji kulikuwa na masikini, mtu mwenye hekima, ambaye kwa hekima yake aliuokoa mji. Ila baadaye aliye mkumbuka yule masikini.

now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16 Hivyo, nikasema, “Hekima ni bora kuliko nguvu, lakini hekima ya mtu masikini hudharauliwa, na maneno yake hayasikilizwi.”

Then said I: 'Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.'

17 Maneno ya watu wenye hekima yaliongewa polepole yanasikiwa vizuri kuliko makelele ya mtawala yeyote miongoni mwa wapumbavu.

The words of the wise spoken in quiet are more acceptable than the cry of a ruler among fools.

18 Hekima ni bora kuliko silaha za vita, lakini mwenye dhambi mmoja anaweza kuharibu mazuri mengi.

Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.