112:1 2Sam 19:35; Mhu 11:8Mkumbuke Muumba wako
siku za ujana wako,
kabla hazijaja siku za taabu,
wala haijakaribia miaka utakaposema,
“Mimi sifurahii hiyo”:
2kabla jua na nuru,
nao mwezi na nyota havijatiwa giza,
kabla ya kurudi mawingu baada ya mvua;
312:3 Mwa 27:1; Zek 8:4; Za 71:9siku ile walinzi wa nyumba watakapotetemeka,
nao watu wenye nguvu watakapojiinamisha,
wakati wasagao watakapokoma kwa sababu ya uchache,
nao wachunguliao madirishani kutiwa giza;
412:4 Yer 25:10; Mik 7:1wakati milango ya kuingia barabarani itakapofungwa
na sauti ya kusaga kufifia;
wakati watu wataamshwa kwa sauti ya ndege,
lakini nyimbo zao zote zikififia;
512:5 Ay 10:21; 17:13; Yer 9:17; Amo 5:16wakati watu watakapoogopa kilichoinuka juu
na hatari zitakazokuwepo barabarani;
wakati mlozi utakapochanua maua
na panzi kujikokota
nawe usiwe na shauku ya kitu chochote.
Ndipo mwanadamu aiendea nyumba yake ya milele
nao waombolezaji wakizunguka barabarani.
6Mkumbuke Muumba wako: kabla haijakatika kamba ya fedha,
au bakuli la dhahabu halijavunjika;
kabla mtungi kuvunjika kwenye chemchemi,
au gurudumu kuvunjika kisimani,
712:7 Mwa 2:7; Ay 20:8; 34:15; Mhu 3:21; Za 146:4nayo mavumbi kurudi ardhini yalikotoka,
na roho kurudi kwa Mungu aliyeitoa.
8Mhubiri asema, “Ubatili! Ubatili!
Kila kitu ni ubatili!”
Hitimisho La Mambo
912:9 1Fal 4:32Mhubiri hakuwa tu na hekima, bali aliwagawia watu maarifa pia. Alitafakari na kutafiti na akaweka katika utaratibu mithali nyingi. 1012:10 Mit 22:20-21Mhubiri alitafiti ili kupata maneno sahihi na kila alichoandika kilikuwa sawa na kweli.
1112:11 Ezr 9:8; Ay 6:25Maneno ya wenye hekima ni kama mchokoro, mithali zao zilizokusanywa pamoja ni kama misumari iliyogongomewa ikawa imara, yaliyotolewa na Mchungaji mmoja. 12Tena zaidi ya hayo, mwanangu, kubali maonyo, hakuna mwisho wa kutunga vitabu vingi, nako kusoma sana huuchosha mwili.
1312:13 Mik 6:8; Kum 4:2-6; 10:12; Kut 20:20; 1Sam 12:24; Ay 23:15; Za 19:9Hii ndiyo jumla ya maneno;
yote yamekwisha sikiwa:
Mche Mungu, nawe uzishike amri zake,
maana kwa jumla ndiyo impasayo mtu.
1412:14 Mt 10:26; Ay 19:26; 34:21; Mhu 3:17; Za 19:12; Yer 16:17Kwa maana Mungu ataleta hukumuni kila kazi,
pamoja na kila neno la siri,
likiwa jema au baya.
1Remember your Creator.
Remember him while you are still young.
Think about him before your times of trouble come.
The years will come when you will say,
“I don’t find any pleasure in them.”
2That’s when the sunlight will become dark.
The moon and the stars will also grow dark.
And the clouds will return after it rains.
3Remember your Creator before those who guard the house tremble with old age.
That’s when strong men will be bent over.
The women who grind grain will stop because there are so few of them left.
Those who look through the windows won’t be able to see very well.
4Remember your Creator before the front doors are closed.
That’s when the sound of grinding will fade away.
Old people will rise up when they hear birds singing.
But they will barely hear any of their songs.
5Remember your Creator before you become afraid of places that are too high.
You will also be terrified because of danger in the streets.
Remember your Creator before the almond trees have buds on them.
That’s when grasshoppers will drag themselves along.
Old people will lose their desire.
That’s when people will go to their dark homes in the grave.
And those who mourn for the dead will walk around in the streets.
6Remember your Creator before the silver cord is cut.
Remember him before the golden bowl is broken.
The wheel will be broken at the well.
The pitcher will be smashed at the spring.
7Remember your Creator before you return to the dust you came from.
Remember him before your spirit goes back to God who gave it.
8“Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Nothing has any meaning.”
Have Respect for God and Obey His Commandments
9The Teacher was wise. He gave knowledge to people. He tried out many proverbs. He thought about them carefully. Then he wrote them down in order. 10He did his best to find just the right words. And what he wrote was honest and true.
11The sayings of those who are wise move people to take action. Their collected sayings are like nails pounded in firm and deep. These sayings are given to us by one shepherd. 12My son, be careful not to pay attention to anything added to them.
Books will never stop being written. Too much studying makes people tired.
13Everything has now been heard.
And here’s the final thing I want to say.
Have respect for God and obey his commandments.
This is what he expects of all human beings.
14God will judge everything people do.
That includes everything they try to hide.
He’ll judge everything, whether it’s good or evil.
