Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
1Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
2And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
3But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.
4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5Fools fold their hands
and ruin themselves.
6Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
9Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Uonevu, Taabu, Uadui
14:1 Mao 1:16; Mhu 3:16; Za 12:5Nikatazama tena nikaona uonevu wote uliokuwa unafanyika chini ya jua:
Nikaona machozi ya walioonewa,
wala hawana wa kuwafariji;
uwezo ulikuwa upande wa wale wanaowaonea,
wala hawana wa kuwafariji.
24:2 Mhu 2:17; Yer 20:17-18; 22:10; Ay 3:17; 10Nami nikasema kwamba wafu,
waliokwisha kufa,
wana furaha kuliko watu walio hai,
ambao bado wanaishi.
34:3 Mhu 6:3; Mt 24:19; Ay 3:16-22Lakini aliye bora kuliko hao wawili
ni yule ambaye hajazaliwa bado,
ambaye hajaona ule uovu
unaofanyika chini ya jua.
4Tena nikaona kuwa kazi zote na mafanikio yote huchipuka kutokana na wivu wa mtu kwa jirani yake. Hili nalo ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
54:5 Mit 6:10Mpumbavu hukunja mikono yake
na kujiangamiza mwenyewe.
64:6 Mit 15:16-17; 16:8Afadhali konzi moja pamoja
na utulivu kuliko konzi mbili pamoja na taabu
na kukimbiza upepo.
7Tena nikaona kitu kingine kilicho ubatili chini ya jua:
84:8 Mit 27:20; Hab 2:5-6; 1Yn 2:16Kulikuwepo mwanadamu aliye peke yake,
hakuwa na mwana wala ndugu.
Hapakuwa na mwisho wa kazi yake,
hata hivyo macho yake
hayakutosheka na utajiri wake.
Aliuliza, “Ninajitaabisha hivi kwa ajili ya nani,
nami kwa nini ninajinyima kufurahia?”
Hili pia ni ubatili,
ni shughuli yenye taabu!
9Wawili ni afadhali kuliko mmoja,
kwa sababu wana malipo mazuri kwa kazi yao:
10Kama mmoja akianguka,
mwenzake atamwinua.
Lakini ni jambo la kuhuzunisha
kwa mtu yule aangukaye
naye hana wa kumwinua!
11Pia, kama wawili wakilala pamoja
watapashana joto.
Lakini ni vipi mtu aweza
kujipasha joto mwenyewe?
12Ingawa mtu mmoja aweza kushindwa,
watu wawili wanaweza
kumkabili adui na kumshinda.
Kamba ya nyuzi tatu
haikatiki kwa urahisi.
Maendeleo Ni Ubatili
13Afadhali kijana maskini mwenye hekima kuliko mfalme mzee mpumbavu ambaye hajui tena kupokea maonyo. 14Kijana huyo angeweza kutokea gerezani akapata ufalme, au angeweza kuwa amezaliwa katika umaskini kwenye huo ufalme. 15Nikaona kwamba wote walioishi na kutembea chini ya jua walimfuata kijana, aliyepokea ufalme. 16Hapakuwa na kikomo cha watu wote aliowatawala. Lakini wale waliokuja baadaye hawakufurahia kazi ya yule aliyepokea ufalme. Hili nalo pia ni ubatili, ni kukimbiza upepo.
