Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

1 Kuna wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, nayo majira kwa kila tendo chini ya mbingu:

2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

2 wakati wa kuzaliwa na wakati wa kufa, wakati wa kupanda na wakati wa kungʼoa yaliyopandwa,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,

3 wakati wa kuua na wakati wa kuponya, wakati wa kubomoa, na wakati wa kujenga,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

4 wakati wa kulia na wakati wa kucheka, wakati wa kuomboleza na wakati wa 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,

5 wakati wa kutawanya mawe na wakati wa kukusanya mawe, wakati wa kukumbatia na wakati wa kutokumbatia,

6 a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,

6 wakati wa kutafuta na wakati wa kupoteza, wakati wa kuweka na wakati wa kutupa,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

7 wakati wa kurarua na wakati wa kushona, wakati wa kunyamaza na wakati wa kuzungumza,

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

8 wakati wa kupenda na wakati wa kuchukia, wakati wa vita na wakati wa amani.

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

9 Mfanyakazi anapata faida gani kutokana na taabu yake?

10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

10 Nimeona mzigo Mungu alioweka juu ya wanadamu.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

11 Amefanya kila kitu kiwe kizuri kwa wakati wake. Pia ameiweka hiyo milele katika mioyo ya wanadamu, wala hawawezi kutambua kwa kina yale ambayo Mungu amefanya tangu mwanzo hadi mwisho.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

12 Ninajua kwamba hakuna kitu bora kwa wanadamu kuliko kuwa na furaha na kutenda mema wakati wanapoishi.

13 and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

13 Tena ni karama ya Mungu kila mtu apate kula na kunywa na kujiburudisha kwa mema katika kazi yake yote.

14 I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.

14 Ninajua kwamba kila kitu anachokifanya Mungu kitadumu milele, hakuna kinachoweza kuongezwa au kupunguzwa. Mungu hufanya hivyo ili watu wamche yeye.

15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.

15 Chochote kilichopo kilishakuwepo, na kitakachokuwepo kimekwishakuwepo kabla; naye Mungu huyaita yale yaliyopita yarudi tena.

16 Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

16 Pia nikaona kitu kingine tena chini ya jua: Mahali pa kutolea hukumu, uovu ulikuwepo, mahali pa kupatia haki, uovu ulikuwepo.

17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”

17 Nikafikiri moyoni mwangu, “Mungu atawaleta hukumuni wote wawili wenye haki na waovu, kwa maana kutakuwako na wakati kwa ajili ya kila jambo, wakati kwa ajili ya kila tendo.”

18 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”

18 Pia nikafikiri, “Kuhusu wanadamu, Mungu huwajaribu ili wajione kwamba wao ni kama wanyama.

19 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.

19 Hatima ya mwanadamu ni kama ile ya wanyama; wote wana mwisho unaofanana: Jinsi anavyokufa mnyama, ndivyo anavyokufa mwanadamu. Wote wana pumzi inayofanana; mwanadamu hana cha zaidi kuliko mnyama. Kila kitu ni ubatili.

20 All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.

20 Wote huenda mahali panapofanana; wote hutoka mavumbini, mavumbini wote hurudi.

21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?

21 Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya mtu huenda juu na roho ya mnyama hushuka chini ardhini?”

22 I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?

22 Kwa hiyo nikaona kwamba hakuna kitu kilicho bora zaidi kwa mwanadamu kuliko kuifurahia kazi yake, kwa sababu hilo ndilo fungu lake. Kwa maana ni nani awezaye kumrudisha ili aje kuona kile kitakachotendeka baada yake?