1
Kwa kila jambo kuna majira yake, Na wakati kwa kila kusudi chini ya mbingu.
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2
Wakati wa kuzaliwa, na wakati wa kufa; Wakati wa kupanda, na wakati wa kung'oa yaliyopandwa;
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3
Wakati wa kuua, na wakati wa kupoza; Wakati wa kubomoa, na wakati wa kujenga;
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,
4
Wakati wa kulia, na wakati wa kucheka; Wakati wa kuomboleza, na wakati wa kucheza;
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5
Wakati wa kutupa mawe, na wakati wa kukusanya mawe; Wakati wa kukumbatia, na wakati wa kutokumbatia;
a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6
Wakati wa kutafuta, na wakati wa kupoteza; Wakati wa kuweka, na wakati wa kutupa;
a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,
7
Wakati wa kurarua, na wakati wa kushona; Wakati wa kunyamaza, na wakati wa kunena;
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8
Wakati wa kupenda, na wakati wa kuchukia; Wakati wa vita, na wakati wa amani.
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9
Je! Mtendaji anayo faida gani katika yale anayojishughulisha nayo?
What does the worker gain from his toil?
10
Nimeiona taabu ambayo Mungu amewapa wanadamu, ili kutaabika ndani yake.
I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.
11
Kila kitu amekifanya kizuri kwa wakati wake; tena ameiweka hiyo milele ndani ya mioyo yao; ila kwa jinsi mwanadamu asivyoweza kuivumbua kazi ya Mungu anayoifanya, tangu mwanzo hata mwisho.
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.
12
Mimi najua ya kwamba hakuna jema kwao kupita kufurahi, na kufanya mema maadamu wanaishi.
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,
13
Tena ni karama ya Mungu kila mtu apate kula na kunywa, na kujiburudisha kwa mema katika kazi yake yote.
and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.
14
Najua ya kwamba kila kazi aifanyayo Mungu itadumu milele; haiwezekani kuizidisha kitu, wala kuipunguza kitu; nayo Mungu ameifanya ili watu wamche Yeye.
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.
15
Yale yaliyoko yamekuwako; na hayo yatakayokuwako yamekwisha kuwako; naye Mungu huyatafuta tena mambo yale yaliyopita.
What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.
16
Zaidi ya hayo, nikaona tena chini ya jua ya kwamba, Mahali pa hukumu upo uovu, Na mahali pa haki upo udhalimu.
Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
17
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, Mungu atawahukumu wenye haki na wasio haki; kwa kuwa kuna wakati huko kwa kila kusudi na kwa kila kazi.
I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”
18
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, Ni kwa sababu ya wanadamu, ili Mungu awajaribu, nao waone ya kuwa wao wenyewe wafanana na wanyama.
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.”
19
Kwa maana linalowatukia wanadamu linawatukia wanyama; jambo moja lawatukia; anavyokufa huyu ndivyo anavyokufa huyu; naam, wote wanayo pumzi moja; wala mwanadamu hana kitu cha kumpita mnyama; kwa maana yote ni ubatili.
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.
20
Wote huendea mahali pamoja; wote hutoka katika mavumbi; na hata mavumbini hurudi tena.
All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.
21
Ni nani ajuaye kama roho ya binadamu huenda juu, na kama roho ya mnyama huenda chini?
Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?
22
Hivyo nikaona ya kwamba hakuna jema kupita mwanadamu kuzifurahia kazi zake; kwa sababu hili ni fungu lake; kwa maana ni nani atakayemrudisha tena ili ayaone yatakayomfuata baadaye.
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?