Ecclesiastes 5
1 Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
Linda mwenendo wako unapoenda kwenye nyumba ya Mungu. Nenda kule usikilize. Kusikiliza ni bora kuliko wapumbavu wanapotoa dhabihu wakati hawajuikuwa wanachofanya katika maisha ni kibaya.
2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
Usiwe mwepesi wa kuongea kwa mdomo wako, na usiufanye moyo wako kuleta jambo lolote kwa haraka mbele za Mungu. Mungu yuko mbinguni, lakini uko chini, kwa hiyo maneno yako yawe machache.
3 For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.
Kama una mambo mengi ya kufanya na kuhangaika, pengine utapata ndoto mbaya. Na pengine utaongea maneno mengi ya upumbavu.
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
Ukiweka nadhili kwa Mungu, usichelewe kuifanya, kwa kuwa Mungu hafurahii upumbavu. Fanya kile ulichoapa utakifanya.
5 It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
Ni bora kutokuweka nadhiri kuliko kuweka nadhiri ambayo usiyoiondoa.
6 Do not allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Do not protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
Usiuruhusu mdomo wako kusababisha mwili wako kutenda dhambi. Usiseme kwa mtumwa wa kuhani, “Kile kiapo kilikuwa kwa makosa.” Kwani nini kumfanya Mungu akasirike kwa kuapa kwa uongo, kumchochea Mungu aharibu kazi ya mikono yako?
7 For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear God.
Kwa kuwa katika ndoto nyingi, kama ilivyo katika maneno mengi, kuna mvuke ubatili. Hivyo mwogope Mungu.
8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, do not marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.
Unapomwona masikini akiteswa na kunyang'anywa haki na kutendewa vibaya katika jimbo lako, usishangae kama kwamba hakuna anaye fahamu, kwa sababu kuna watu katika mamlaka ambao hutazama, kuna hata walio juu yao.
9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.
Kwa nyongeza uzalishaji wa ardhi ni kwa kila mmoja, na mfalme mwenyewe huchukua uzalishaji kutoka mashambani.
10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
Yeyote apendaye fedha hatatosheka na fedha, na yeyote apendaye utajiri mara zote hutaka zaidi. Huu pia ni mvuke.
11 When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?
Kadri mafanikio yanapoongezeka, ndivyo wanavyoongezeka watu wanaotumia. Kuna faida gani katika utajiri kwa mmiliki isipokuwa kuutazama kwa macho yake?
12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
Usingizi wa mfanyakazi ni mtamu, kama anakula kidogo au sana, lakini utajiri wa mtu tajiri haumuruhusu yeye kulala vizuri.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
Kuna jambo baya zaidi ambalo nimeliona chini ya jua: mali iliyowekwa akiba na mwenye nayo, inamsababishia taabu mwenyewe.
14 Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.
Wakati tajiri anapopoteza utajiri wake kwa bahati mbaya, mwana wake, ambaye amemzaa, habakiziwi chochote mikononi mwake.
15 As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
Kama mtu azaliwavyo uchi kutoka tumboni mwa mamaye, vivyo hivyo ataondoka katika maisha haya akiwa uchi. Hachukui chochote kutoka katika kazi yake.
16 This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
Jambo jingine baya kabisa, kama mtu alivyo kuja ni lazima aende vivyo hivyo. Hivyo ni faida gani mtu yeyote aipatayo katika kufanya kwa ajili ya upepo?
17 All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
Wakati wa siku zake anakula gizani na anafedheheshwa sana na magonjwa na hasira.
18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.
Tazama, kile nilichokiona kuwa kizuri kufaaa ni kula na knywa na kufurahia faida kutoka katika kazi zetu zote, tuzifanyazo chini ya jua wakati wa siku za maisha haya ambayo Mungu ametupa. Kwa kuwa huu ni wajibu wa mtu.
19 Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
Yeyote ambaye Mungu amempa mali na utajiri na uwezo wa kupokea sehemu yake na kufurahi katika kazi yake hii ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu.
20 For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.
Kwa kuwa mara kadhaa hakumbuki siku za maisha yake, kwa sababu Mungu anamfanya kuhangaika na mambo ambayo anafurahia kuyafanya.
