1
Heri sifa njema kuliko marhamu nzuri; Na siku ya kufa kuliko siku ya kuzaliwa.
A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
2
Heri kuiendea nyumba ya matanga, Kuliko kuiendea nyumba ya karamu. Kwa maana huo ndio mwisho wa wanadamu wote, naye aliye hai atautia moyoni mwake.
It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
3
Huzuni ni afadhali kuliko kicheko, Maana simanzi ya uso ni faida ya moyo.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
4
Moyo wake mwenye hekima umo nyumbani mwa matanga, bali moyo wake mpumbavu umo nyumbani mwa furaha.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5
Heri kusikia laumu ya wenye hekima, Kuliko mtu kusikia wimbo wa wapumbavu;
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
6
Maana kama mlio wa miiba chini ya sufuria, Ndivyo kilivyo kicheko cha mpumbavu. Hayo nayo ni ubatili.
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7
Kweli jeuri humpumbaza mwenye hekima, Na rushwa huuharibu ufahamu.
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8
Heri mwisho wa neno kuliko mwanzo wake, Na mvumilivu rohoni kuliko mwenye roho ya kiburi.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9
Usifanye haraka kukasirika rohoni mwako, Maana hasira hukaa kifuani mwa wapumbavu.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
10
Usiseme, Kwani siku za kale kupita siku hizi? Maana si kwa hekima uulizavyo neno hilo.
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11
Hekima ni njema, mfano wa urithi; Naam, nayo ni bora kwao walionao jua.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
12
Kwa maana hekima ni ulinzi, kama vile fedha ilivyo ulinzi; na ubora wa maarifa ni ya kwamba hekima humhifadhi yeye aliye nayo.
For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
13
Tafakari vema kazi yake Mungu; kwa sababu ni nani awezaye kukinyosha kitu kile alichokipotosha yeye?
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
14
Siku ya kufanikiwa ufurahi, Na siku ya mabaya ufikiri. Mungu ameifanya hiyo moja kwenda sambamba na hiyo ya pili, ili mwanadamu asipate kulijua neno lo lote litakalofuata baada yake.
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
15
Mambo hayo yote nimeyaona mimi katika siku za ubatili wangu, yuko mwenye haki apoteaye katika haki yake, yuko na mtu mwovu azidishaye maisha yake katika udhalimu wake.
In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16
Usiwe na haki kupita kiasi; Wala usijiongezee hekima mno; Kwani kujiangamiza mwenyewe?
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17
Usiwe mwovu kupita kiasi; Wala usiwe mpumbavu; Kwani ufe kabla ya wakati wako?
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18
Ni vizuri kwamba ulishike neno hilo; naam, hata kwa neno hilo tena usiuondoe mkono wako; kwa kuwa mtu yule amchaye Mungu atatoka katika hayo yote.
It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
19
Hekima ni nguvu zake mwenye hekima, Zaidi ya wakuu kumi waliomo mjini.
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20
Bila shaka hakuna mwanadamu mwenye haki hapa duniani, ambaye afanya mema, asifanye dhambi.
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21
Tena, usitie moyoni mwako maneno yote yaliyosemwa; usije ukamsikia mtumwa wako mwenyewe ali anakutukana.
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22
Kwa kuwa mara nyingi moyo wako pia unajua ya kwamba wewe mwenyewe umewatukana watu wengine.
For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23
Mambo hayo yote mimi nimeyahakikisha katika hekima. Nilisema, Mimi nitakuwa na hekima, lakini imefarakana nami.
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24
Mambo yale yaliyo mbali, na yale yaendayo chini sana, ni mtu yupi awezaye kuyatafuta?
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
25
Nikageuka, na moyo wangu ulikazwa katika kujua na kupeleleza, na kuitafuta hekima, na maana ya mambo yaliyoko; ili nifahamu ya kuwa uovu ni upumbavu, na upumbavu ni wazimu.
I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
26
Nami nimeona lililo na uchungu kupita mauti; yaani, mwanamke ambaye moyo wake ni mitego na tanzi, na mikono yake ni kama vifungo; yeye ampendezaye Mungu atamponyoka, bali mwenye dhambi atanaswa na yeye.
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
27
Tazama, asema Mhubiri, mimi nimeyaona hayo kwa kulinganisha hili na hili, ili kuitafuta jumla;
“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
28
ambayo bado nafsi yangu nikali nikiitafuta, nisiione; mwanamume mmoja katika elfu nimemwona; bali mwanamke mmoja miongoni mwa wote mimi sikumwona.
While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
29
Tazama, hili tu nimeliona; Mungu amemfanya mwanadamu mnyofu, lakini wamebuni mavumbuzi mengi.
Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”