Billy Graham: Technology, faith and human shortcomings

Translator: Joachim Mangilima Reviewer: Nelson Simfukwe

As a clergyman,

Kama Mtumishi wa Mungu,

you can imagine how

unaweza ukafikiri jinsi

out of place I feel.

ninavyojiona kuwa sipo mahali napostahili kuwepo,

I feel like a fish out of water,

ninajihisi kama samaki aliye nje ya maji

or maybe an owl out of the air.

au labda kama popo ambaye ametolewa angani

(Laughter)

vicheko

I was preaching in San Jose some time ago,

Nilikuwa nahubiri huko San Jose muda kiasi uliopita

and my friend Mark Kvamme,

na rafiki yangu Mark Kvamme,

who helped introduce me

ambaye alinisaidia kunitambulisha mimi

to this conference,

katika mkutano huu,

brought several CEOs

aliwaleta baadhi ya wakurugenzi

and leaders

na viongozi

of some of the companies here in the Silicon Valley

wa baadhi ya makampuni hapa Silicon Valley

to have breakfast with me, or I with them.

kunywa chai pamoja na mimi

And I was so stimulated.

nilipata hamasa sana

And had such -- it was an

ulikuwa ni uzoefu

eye-opening experience

ulionisaidia kufungua macho yangu

to hear them talk about

nilipowasikia wakiongea kuhusu

the world that is yet to come

dunia ambayo hatujaifikia

through technology

kupitia teknolojia

and science.

na sayansi

I know that we're near the end of this conference,

ninajua kuwa tunakaribia mwisho wa mkutano huu

and some of you may be wondering

na baadhi yenu mtakuwa mnajiuliza

why they have a speaker

kwa nini wana mzungumzaji

from the field of religion.

kutoka katika mambo ya dini

Richard can answer that,

Richard anaweza kujibu hilo

because he made that decision.

Kwa sababu yeye ndiye aliyefanya uamuzi huo

But some years ago I was on an elevator in Philadelphia,

Lakini miaka kadhaa iliyopita nilikuwa katika lifti katika mji wa Philadelphia,

coming down.

nikishuka chini

I was to address a conference

Nilikuwa natakiwa kwenda kuwa mzungumzaji katika mkutano

at a hotel.

katika hoteli

And on that elevator a man said,

Na katika lifti ile mtu mmoja akasema,

"I hear Billy Graham is staying in this hotel."

"Nasikia Billy Graham anakaa katika hotel hii."

And another man looked in my direction and said,

Na mtu mwingine akaangalia upande wangu na akasema,

"Yes, there he is. He's on this elevator with us."

"Ndio, yule pale.Yuko katika lifti hii pamoja nasi."

And this man looked me up and down

Na mtu huyu akaniangalia kutoka chini mpaka juu

for about 10 seconds,

kwa kama sekunde 10,

and he said, "My, what an anticlimax!"

Na akasema," yaani mbona msisimko wote unatoweka!"

(Laughter)

(Vicheko)

I hope

natumaini

that you won't feel that these few moments with me

kuwa hamtajisikia kuwa muda huu mfupi pamoja nami

is not a -- is an anticlimax,

hautawaondolea msisimko

after all these tremendous

baada ya masimulizi yote haya ya ajabu

talks that you've heard,

ambayo mmeyasikiliza,

and addresses, which I intend to listen to every one of them.

masimulizi ambayo hata mimi nakusudia kuyakiliza kila moja

But I was

lakini

on an airplane in the east some years ago,

nikiwa katika ndege mashariki miaka kadhaa iliyopita

and the man sitting across the aisle from me

na mtu ambaye alikuwa amekaa pembeni yangu

was the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.

alikuwa ni meya wa mji wa Charlotte, North Carolina.

His name was John Belk. Some of you will probably know him.

Jina lake lilikuwa ni John Belk.Baadhi yenu mnaweza mkawa mnamjua

And there was a drunk man on there,

na pia kulikuwa na mtu aliyelewa pia mahali pale

and he got up out of his seat two or three times,

na aliinuka kutoka kiti chake mara mbili au tatu,

and he was making everybody upset

na alisababisha kila mtu akasirike

by what he was trying to do.

kwa kile alichokuwa anajaribu kufanya

And he was slapping the stewardess

alikuwa anampiga mhudumu wa ndege

and pinching her as she went by,

alipokuwa anapita mahali pale,

and everybody was upset with him.

na kila mtu alikuwa amemkasirikia.

And finally, John Belk said,

Mwishowe,John Belkin akasema,

"Do you know who's sitting here?"

"Hivi unajua nani amekaa hapa?"

And the man said, "No, who?"

na mlevi yule akasema,"hapana, kwa ni nani?"

He said, "It's Billy Graham,

Akasema, "Billy Graham,

the preacher."

Mhubiri."

He said, "You don't say!"

Mlevi yule akasema,"haiwezekani!"

And he turned to me, and he said, "Put her there!"

Na akanigeukia, na kusema, "Mweke huyo muhudumu pale!"

He said, "Your sermons have certainly helped me."

Akasema, " Mahubiri yako yamenisaidia sana."

(Laughter)

(Vicheko)

And I suppose that that's true

Na nafikiri ndivyo ilivyo

with thousands of people.

kwa maelfu ya watu.

(Laughter)

(vicheko)

I know that as you have been peering into the future,

Najua kuwa mmekuwa mkijadiliana kuhusu maendeleo yanayokuja

and as we've heard some of it here tonight,

na kama tulivyoyasikia hapa leo

I would like to live in that age

na mimi pia natamani kuishi kipindi hicho

and see what is going to be.

na kuona nini kitakachotokea.

But I won't,

Lakini sitaweza,

because I'm 80 years old. This is my eightieth year,

Kwa sababu nina miaka 80.

and I know that my time is brief.

na ninajua muda uliobaki ni mfupi

I have phlebitis at the moment, in both legs,

nina matatizo ya kujaa miguu,

and that's the reason that I had to have a little help in getting up here,

na ndio maana nilihitaji msaada ili kupanda hapa juu,

because I have Parkinson's disease

kwa sababu nina ugonjwa wa Parkinson's

in addition to that,

na pamoja hayo,

and some other problems that I won't talk about.

na matatizo mengine ambayo sitayaongelea

(Laughter)

(vicheko)

But this is not the first time

Lakini hii si mara ya kwanza

that we've had a technological revolution.

ambapo tumekuwa na mapinduzi ya teknolojia

We've had others.

tumekuwa nayo mengine.

And there's one that I want to talk about.

na kuna moja ambalo ningependa kuliongelea.

In one generation,

Katika kizazi kimoja,

the nation of the people of Israel

Taifa la wana wa Israel

had a tremendous and dramatic change

lilikuwa na mabadiliko makubwa sana

that made them a great power in the Near East.

ambayo yalilifanya kuwa taifa lenye nguvu sana katika mashariki ya kati.

A man by the name of David

Mtu aitwaye Daudi

came to the throne,

aliingia madarakani,

and King David became one of the great leaders

Na mfalme Daudi alikuwa mmoja kati ya viongozi wakuu sana

of his generation.

wa kizazi cha chake.

He was a man of tremendous leadership.

Alikuwa ni mtu mwenye uwezo wa uongozi wa hali ya juu sana.

He had the favor of God with him.

Alikuwa na kibali cha Mungu pamoja naye.

He was a brilliant poet,

Alikuwa ni mshairi mzuri,

philosopher, writer, soldier --

mwanafilosofia, mwandishi , mpiganaji

with strategies in battle and conflict

aliyekuwa na mbinu za kivita

that people study even today.

ambazo watu mpaka leo wanajifunza.

But about two centuries before David,

Lakini kama karnembili kabla ya Daudi,

the Hittites

Wahiti

had discovered the secret

waligundua siri

of smelting and processing of iron,

ya kuyayusha na kutengeneza bidhaa za chuma,

and, slowly, that skill spread.

na ,taratibu, ujuzi huu ulisambaa.

But they wouldn't allow the Israelis

lakini hawakutaka waisraeli

to look into it, or to have any.

kujua kuhusu ujuzi huu.

But David changed all of that,

Lakini Daudi alibadilisha hali hii,

and he introduced the Iron Age

na akaanzisha zama za chuma

to Israel.

katika taifa la Israeli.

And the Bible says that David laid up great stores of iron,

Na Biblia inasema Daudi aliweka akiba kubwa ya chuma,

and which archaeologists have found,

ambayo wavumbuzi wa mambo ya kale wamezigundua,

that in present-day Palestine,

katika eneo ambalo leo ipo Palestina,

there are evidences of that generation.

kuna ushahidi wa zama hizo.

Now, instead of crude tools

Kwa hiyo, baada ya zana za kuu kuu

made of sticks and stones,

zilizotengenezwa kwa miti na mawe,

Israel now had iron plows,

Israeli sasa walikuwa na majembe ya kukokotwa na ng'ombe,

and sickles, and hoes

na majembe ya mkono

and military weapons.

na silaha za kivita.

And in the course of one generation,

na katika kipindi cha kizazi kimoja,

Israel was completely changed.

Israel ilibadilika kabisa

The introduction of iron, in some ways,

Kuingizwa kwa chuma, kwa namna moja

had an impact

kulileta mabadiliko makubwa

a little bit like the microchip

kama ambavyo vifaa vya elektroniki

has had on our generation.

vilivyoleta mabadiliko katika kizazi chetu.

And

na

David found

Daudi akagundua

that there were many problems that technology could not solve.

kuwa kuna matatizo mengi ambayo teknolojia haiwezi kuyatatua

There were many problems still left.

kulikuwa na matatizo mengi ambayo yaliendelea kuwepo.

And they're still with us, and you haven't solved them,

na baada tunayo pamoja nasi,na bado hamjayatatua,

and I haven't heard anybody here speak to that.

na sijamsikia mtu yeyote hapa akiyaongelea hayo.

How do we solve these three problems

Tunayatatuaje matatizo haya matatu

that I'd like to mention?

ambayo ningependa kuyaongelea?

The first one that David saw

La kwanza aliloliona Daudi

was human evil.

ilikuwa ni uovu wa wanadamu.

Where does it come from?

unatoka wapi?

How do we solve it?

tunautatuaje?

Over again and again

Mara nyingi sana

in the Psalms,

katika kitabu cha Zaburi,

which Gladstone said was the greatest book in the world,

Ambacho Gladstone alisema kuwa ni kitabu kikuu sana kuliko vyote duniani,

David describes the evils of the human race.

Daudi anaeleza juu ya uovu wa wanadamu.

And yet he says,

lakini bado akasema,

"He restores my soul."

"Hunihuisha nafsi yangu"

Have you ever thought about what a contradiction we are?

umeshawahi kufikiri jinsi sisi tulivyokuwa ni mkanganyiko wa kipekee?

On one hand, we can probe the deepest secrets of the universe

kwa upande mmoja, tunaweza kugundua mambo mazito kuhusu ulimwengu

and dramatically push back the frontiers of technology,

na kufanya mapinduzi makubwa ya kiteknolojia,

as this conference vividly demonstrates.

kama ambavyo mkuano huu unavyoonyesha.

We've seen under the sea,

tumeona chini ya bahari,

three miles down,

maili tatu kwenda chini,

or galaxies hundreds of billions of years

au nyota na sayari ambazo ziko miaka , mamia ya mabilioni

out in the future.

mbali nasi.

But on the other hand,

lakini kwa upande mwingine,

something is wrong.

kuna tatizo.

Our battleships,

mapigano yetu,

our soldiers,

wanajeshi wetu,

are on a frontier now,

wako katika mstari wa mbele kwa sasa,

almost ready to go to war

wakiwa tayari kupigana

with Iraq.

na Iraki.

Now, what causes this?

Nini kinachosababisha hali hii?

Why do we have these wars in every generation,

kwa nini tunavita hizi katika kila kizazi,

and in every part of the world?

na katika kila eneo la dunia?

And revolutions?

na mapinduzi?

We can't get along with other people,

kwa nini hatuwezi kukaa na watu wengine vizuri,

even in our own families.

hata katika familia zetu wenyewe.

We find ourselves in the paralyzing grip

tunajikuta katika hali ya kuchanganyikiwa

of self-destructive habits we can't break.

na tabia zinatoharibia mambo amabazo hatuwezi kuziacha.

Racism and injustice and violence sweep our world,

Ubaguzi wa rangi na uvunjaji wa haki na machafuko yametapakaa duniani kote,

bringing a tragic harvest of heartache and death.

yakileta mavuno mabaya ya vifo na kuumizwa kwa mioyo.

Even the most sophisticated among us

Hata wale ambao ni werevu sana kati yetu,

seem powerless to break this cycle.

wanaonekana kuwa hawana uwezo wa kuvunja hali hii.

I would like to see Oracle

Ningependa kuona kampuni ya Oracle

take up that,

ikifanyia kazi tatizo hili,

or

au

some other

wataalamu wengine

technological geniuses work on this.

wa teknolojia wakifanyia kazi tatizo hili.

How do we change man,

Tunambadilishaje mwanadamu,

so that he doesn't lie and cheat,

ili asiweze kudanganya,

and our newspapers are not filled with stories

na magazeti yetu yasijazwe na habari za

of fraud in business or labor

utapeli katika biashara au kazi,

or athletics or wherever?

au katika michezo au chochote kile?

The Bible says the problem is within us,

Biblia inasema tatizo liko ndani yetu,

within our hearts and our souls.

ndani ya mioyo na nafsi zetu.

Our problem is that we are separated

Tatizo ni kwa sababu tumetengwa

from our Creator,

na muumba wetu,

which we call God,

ambaye tunamwita Mungu,

and we need to have our souls restored,

na tunahitaji nafsi zetu zihuishwe,

something only God can do.

kitu ambacho ni Mungu pekee awezaye kukifanya.

Jesus said, "For out of the heart

Yesu alisema, " Kwa maana moyoni

come evil thoughts:

hutoka mawazo mabaya:

murders, sexual immorality,

uuaji, uzinzi, uasherati,

theft, false testimonies,

wizi, ushuhuda wa uongo,

slander."

na matukano."

The British philosopher Bertrand Russell

Mwanafalsafa wa Uingereza Bertrand Russell

was not a religious man,

hakuwa mtu aliyeamini mambo ya Mungu,

but he said, "It's in our hearts that the evil lies,

lakini alisema,"ni ndani ya mioyo yetu ndiko uovu unakokaa,

and it's from our hearts

na ni ndani ya mioyo yetu

that it must be plucked out."

unahitaji kutolewa."

Albert Einstein --

Albert Einstein --

I was just talking to someone, when I was speaking at Princeton,

Nilikuwa naongea na mtu,nilipokuwa naongea katika chuo kikuu cha Princeton,

and I met

na nikakutana na

Mr. Einstein.

Bwana Einstein.

He didn't have a doctor's degree, because he said

Hakuwa na shahada ya udaktari, kwa sababu alisema

nobody was qualified to give him one.

hakuna yeyote ambaye alikuwa na sifa za kumtunuku yeye shahada hiyo.

(Laughter)

(Vicheko)

But he made this statement.

lakini akasema maneno haya.

He said, "It's easier to denature plutonium

Alisema, "ni rahisi sana kubadilisha umbo la asili la madini ya plutonium

than to denature the evil spirit of man."

kuliko kubadilisha asili ya uovu ndani ya moyo wa mwanadamu."

And many of you, I'm sure,

na wengi wenu, ni hakika,

have thought about that

mmeshawahi kuwaza juu ya kitu hiki

and puzzled over it.

na kujiuliza maswali mengi juu yake.

You've seen people

mmewaona watu

take beneficial technological advances,

wakichukua faida za maendeleo ya kiteknolojia,

such as the Internet we've heard about tonight,

kama Intaneti, ambayo tumesikia habari zake usiku huu,

and twist them into something corrupting.

na kuibadilisha kuwa ni kitu kinacholeta uharibifu na madhara.

You've seen brilliant people devise computer viruses

Mmesikia watu mahiri ambao wanatengeneza virusi ya kompyuta

that bring down whole systems.

ambavyo ninaleta uharibifu katika mifumo mizima ya mawasiliano.

The Oklahoma City bombing was simple technology,

Bomu lililolipuliwa katika mji wa Oklahoma, ilikuwa ni teknolojia rahisi tu,

horribly used.

ambayo ilitumika vibaya

The problem is not technology.

Tatizo sio teknolojia

The problem is the person or persons using it.

Tatizo no mtu au watu ambao wanaitumia.

King David said

Mfalme Daudi alisema

that he knew the depths of his own soul.

alijua vilindi vya nafsi yake.

He couldn't free himself from personal problems

hakuweza kujiweka huru na matatizo yake

and personal evils

na uovu ndani yake

that included murder and adultery.

ambao ulikuwa ni pamoja na mauaji na uzinzi.

Yet King David sought God's forgiveness,

Lakini mfalme Daudi alitafuta msamaha wa Mungu,

and said, "You can restore my soul."

na akasema, "unaweza ukahuisha nafsi yangu."

You see, the Bible teaches

BiBlia inafundisha

that we're more than a body and a mind.

kuwa sisi ni zaidi tu ya miili ma mawazo.

We are a soul.

sisi ni nafsi.

And there's something inside of us

na kuna kitu ndani yetu

that is beyond our understanding.

ambacho kinazidi ufahamu wetu.

That's the part of us that yearns

hiyo ni sehemu yetu ambayo inamwonea shauku

for God, or something more

Mungu, au kitu kikubwa zaidi

than we find in technology.

ya vkile tunachokipata ndani ya teknolojia.

Your soul is that part of you that

Nafsi yako ni ile sehemu yako

yearns for meaning in life,

ambayo ina hamu yakuona maisha yakiwa na maana,

and which seeks for something beyond this life.

na ambacho kinatafuta kitu kilicho mbele maisha haya ya sasa.

It's the part of you that yearns, really, for God.

Ni sehemu yako ambayo ina shauku na Mungu.

I find [that] young people all over the world

Nimeona kuwa vijana kote duniani

are searching for something.

wanatafuta kitu fulani

They don't know what it is. I speak at many universities,

Hawajui ni kitu gani. ninaongea katika vyuo vikuu vingi,

and I have many questions and answer periods, and

ninakuwa na vipindi vingi vya maswali na majibu, na

whether it's Cambridge, or Harvard,

haijalishi kama ni chuo kikuu cha Cambridge, au Harvard,

or Oxford --

au Oxford--

I've spoken at all of those universities.

nimeshaongea katika vyuo vyote hivyo.

I'm going to Harvard in about three or four --

Ninaenda Harvard katika kipindi cha miezi mitatu au minne

no, it's about two months from now --

hapana, ni miezi miwili kutoka sasa --

to give a lecture.

kutoa mhadhara.

And I'll be asked the same questions that I was asked

na najua nitaulizwa maswali yale yale niliyoulizwa

the last few times I've been there.

mara kadhaa nilivyokuwa mahali hapo.

And it'll be on

na yatakuwa ni juu ya

these questions:

maswali haya:

where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?

Nimetokea wapi? Kwa nini niko hapa? ninaenda wapi?

What's life all about? Why am I here?

Ni nini maana ya maisha hasa? Kwa nini niko hapa?

Even if you have no religious belief,

Hata kama hauna imani ya dini

there are times when you wonder that there's something else.

kuna nyakati ambazo unawaza kuwa kuna kitu kingine

Thomas Edison also said,

Thomas Edison alisema

"When you see everything that happens in the world of science,

"kila unapoona kila kinachotokea katika ulimwengu wa sayansi.

and in the working of the universe,

na ufanyaji kazi wa ulimwengu,

you cannot deny that there's a captain on the bridge."

hauwezi ukakataa kuwa kuna mwongozaji wa hayo yote upande wa pili

I remember once,

ninakumbuka kuna wakati

I sat beside Mrs. Gorbachev

nilikaa pembeni ya mke wa rais wa urusi , mama Gorbachev

at a White House dinner.

katika ikulu ya Marekani ya white house,

I went to Ambassador Dobrynin, whom I knew very well.

nilienda kwa balozi Dobrynin

And I'd been to Russia several times under the Communists,

na nilikuwa nimeshaenda Urusi mara kadhaa chini ya utawala wa kikomunisti

and they'd given me marvelous freedom that I didn't expect.

na walinipatia uhuru wa ajabu ambao sikuutegemea.

And I knew Mr. Dobrynin very well,

Nilimjua ndugu Dobrynin vizuri sana,

and I said,

na nikamwambia,

"I'm going to sit beside Mrs. Gorbachev tonight.

" ninaenda kukaa karibu na mama Gorbachev leo usiku.

What shall I talk to her about?"

niongee naye nini?

And he surprised me with the answer.

Na alinishangaza kwa jibu lake.

He said, "Talk to her about religion and philosophy.

Alisema," ongea nae kuhusu dini na filosofia.

That's what she's really interested in."

hicho ndicho anachopenda."

I was a little bit surprised, but that evening

nilishangaa kidogo, lakini jioni ile

that's what we talked about,

hicho ndicho tulichoongea.

and it was a stimulating conversation.

na yalikuwa ni mazungumzo ya kusisimua sana.

And afterward, she said,

na baadae akasema,

"You know, I'm an atheist,

" unajua , mimi siamini juu ya uwepo wa Mungu,

but I know that there's something up there

lakini najua kuwa kuna kitu huko juu

higher than we are."

kikubwa zaidi yetu."

The second problem

taizo la pili

that King David realized he could not solve

ambalo Mfalme Daudi aligundua kuwa hawezi kulitatua

was the problem of human suffering.

ilikuwa ni tatizo la mateso mbalimbali ya wanadamu.

Writing the oldest book in the world was Job,

aliyeandika kitabu cha zamani kabisa dunianialikuwa ni Ayubu,

and he said,

na akasema,

"Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward."

"Mwanadamu huzaliwa ili apate mashaka, kama cheche za moto zirukavyo juu".

Yes, to be sure, science has done much to push back

Na kwa uhakika, sayansi imefanya mengi kupunguza

certain types of human suffering.

baadhi ya machungu ya wanadamu.

But I'm --

lakini mimi

in a few months, I'll be 80 years of age.

ndani ya miezi michache ijayo nitakuwa na miaka, 80.

I admit that I'm very grateful

Nakubali kuwa ninashukuru sana

for all the medical advances

kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya kitabibu

that have kept me in relatively good health

ambayo yamenifanya niendelee kuwa mzima na afya nzuri.

all these years.

kwa miaka yote hii.

My doctors at the Mayo Clinic urged me

Madaktari wangu katika kliniki ya Mayo walinisihi

not to take this trip out here to this -- to be here.

nisisafiri kuja mahali hapa.

I haven't given a talk in nearly four months.

sijaongea mbele ya watu kama hivi kwa karibia miezi minne

And when you speak as much as I do,

na ukiwa unaongea mara nyingi kama ambavyo mimi naongea

three or four times a day,

mara tatu au mara nne kwa siku,

you get rusty.

nguvu yako inapungua.

That's the reason I'm using this podium

Ndio maana natumia kifaa hiki cha kuegemea

and using these notes.

na kutumia maandishi haya niliyoyandaa kabla.

Every time you ever hear me on the television or somewhere,

Kila mara unaponisikia mimi katika televisheni au mahali pengine,

I'm ad-libbing.

ninakuwa ninaongea kwa kutoa maneno hapo kwa hapo kwa kufuata muongozo fulani

I'm not reading. I never read an address.

sisomi, huwa sisomi maelezo yoyote

I never read a speech or a talk or a lecture.

sisomi hotuba , mahubiri au mihadhara

I talk ad lib.

ninaongea hapo kwa hapo

But tonight, I've

lakini usiku huu, nina

got some notes here so that if

maandishi ambayo kama ikitokea

I begin to forget,

ninataka kusahau,

which I do sometimes,

kitu ambacho hutokea wakati mwingine,

I've got something I can turn to.

nitakuwa na kitu cha kuniongoza.

But even here among us,

Lakini hata hata hapa kati kati yetu,

most --

wengi--

in the most advanced society in the world,

katika jamii iliyoendelea sana kuliko zote duniani,

we have poverty.

tuna umaskini.

We have families that self-destruct,

Tuna familia ambazo zinaharibu mambo yake zenyewe,

friends that betray us.

marafiki wanaotusaliti.

Unbearable psychological pressures bear down on us.

tunaelemewa na misongo ya mawazo

I've never met a person in the world

sijawahi kukutana na mtu yeyote duniani

that didn't have a problem

ambaye hana tatizo

or a worry.

au wasiwasi fulani.

Why do we suffer? It's an age-old question

Kwa nini tunapatwa na magumu? ni swali ambalo limeulizwa kwa muda mrefu

that we haven't answered.

ambalo bado hatujalijibu.

Yet David again and again said

Lakini Daudi tena na tena alisema

that he would turn to God.

atamgeukia Mungu.

He said, "The Lord is my shepherd."

Alisema, "Bwana ndiye mchungaji wangu."

The final problem that David knew he could not solve

Tatizo la mwisho ambalo Daudi alijua hawezi kulitatua

was death.

ilikuwa ni Kifo.

Many commentators have said that death

Watu wengi wamesema kwamba kifo

is the forbidden subject of our generation.

ni jambo ambalo limekuwa gumu kuzungumzwa na kizazi chetu.

Most people live as if

Watu wengi wanaishi kama vile

they're never going to die.

hawatakufa.

Technology projects the myth

Teknolojia inaleta udanganyifu

of control over our mortality.

kuwa tunaweza tukatawala kuishi kwetu.

We see people on our screens.

Tunaona watu katika vioo vya TV.

Marilyn Monroe is just as beautiful on the screen

Marilyn Monroe ni mzuri katika TV

as she was in person,

kama alivyokuwa hai,

and our -- many young people think she's still alive.

na vijana wengi wanafikiri kuwa bado anaendelea kuishi.

They don't know that she's dead.

Hawajui kuwa alishakufa.

Or Clark Gable, or whoever it is.

Au Clark Gable, au yeyote yule mwingine.

The old stars, they come to life.

Nyota wa zamani, wanarudi tena kuwa hai.

And they're --

Na wanakuwa

they're just as great on that screen as they were in person.

Na wanakuwa mahiri katika TV kama walivyokuwa mahiri walipokuwa hai.

But death is inevitable.

Lakini kifo hakina ushindani.

I spoke some time ago to

Nilikuwa naongea kipindi fulani hapo nyuma

a joint session of Congress, last year.

katika kikao cha pamoja cha bunge la Marekani

And we were meeting in that room,

Kwa tukawa tunakutana katika hicho chumba,

the statue room.

katika chumba cha sanamu

About 300 of them were there.

watu kama 300 walikuwa pale.

And I said, "There's one thing that we have in common in this room,

na nikasema." kuna kitu moja ambacho wote hapa tunacho,

all of us together, whether Republican or Democrat,

wote sisi hapa, bila kujali ni mmwanachama wa chama cha Republican au Democrat,

or whoever."

au vyovyote vile."

I said, "We're all going to die.

nikasema,"sis wote ipo siku tutakufa.

And we have that in common with all these great men of the past

na hicho ndicho kitu tulicho nacho sisi wote pamoja na watu mahiri wa zamani.

that are staring down at us."

ambao wanatuangalia kutoka juu."

And it's often difficult for young people

na mara nyingi ni ngumu sana kwa vijana

to understand that.

kuelewa hilo.

It's difficult for them to understand that they're going to die.

ni vigumu kwa wao kuelewa kuwa ipo siku watakuja kufa.

As the ancient writer of Ecclesiastes wrote,

Mwandishi wa kitabu Mhubiri aliandika,

he said, there's every activity under heaven.

alisema, kuna kila shughuli chini ya mbingu.

There's a time to be born,

kuna wakati wa kuzaliwa,

and there's a time to die.

na kuna wakati wa kufa.

I've stood at the deathbed

nimekuwa nikiwa pembeni wakati umauti ulipowakaribia

of several famous people,

watu maarufu mbalimbali

whom you would know.

ambao baadhi yenu mtakuwa mnawajua.

I've talked to them.

nimeongea nao.

I've seen them in those agonizing moments

nimeona kipindi hiki cha mashaka yao

when they were scared to death.

walipokuwa na uoga usiokuwa wa kawaida.

And yet, a few years earlier,

lakini, miaka michache kabla,

death never crossed their mind.

kifo hakikuwa katika mawazo yao kabisa.

I talked to a woman this past week

niliongea na mwanamke mmoja, wiki iliyopita

whose father

ambaye baba yake

was a famous doctor.

alikuwa ni daktari maarufu.

She said he never thought of God, never talked about God,

Alisema hakuwa anawaza kuhusu Mungu, wala kuongea chochote kuhusu Mungu,

didn't believe in God. He was an atheist.

hakuamini kabisa kuhusu Mungu. alikuwa ni mtu asiyeamini kwamba Mungu yupo.

But she said,

Lakini akasema

as he came to die,

alipokuwa anakaribia kufa,

he sat up on the side of the bed one day,

alikaa pembeni ya kitanda siku moja,

and he asked the nurse if he could see the chaplain.

na akamwuliza muuguzi kama anaweza kumwona mchungaji.

And he said, for the first time in his life

akasema, kwa mara ya kwanza katika maisha yake

he'd thought about the inevitable,

aliwaza kuhusu jambo hili lisiloepukika,

and about God.

na kuhusu Mungu.

Was there a God?

Je Mungu yupo?

A few years ago, a university student asked me,

Miaka michache iliyopita,mwanafunzi wa chuo kikuu aliniuliza,

"What is the greatest surprise in your life?"

"Kipi kimekushangaza sana katika maisha yako?"

And I said, "The greatest surprise in my life

nikajibu,"kitu kilichonishangaza sana katika maisha yangu

is the brevity of life.

ni ufupi wa maisha.

It passes so fast."

yanapita haraka sana."

But it does not need to have to be that way.

Lakini haihitaji kuwa hivyo.

Wernher von Braun,

Wernher von Braun,

in the aftermath of World War II concluded, quote:

muda mfupi baada ya vita ya pili ya dunia alisema,

"science and religion are not antagonists.

"Sayansi na dini sio maadui.

On the contrary, they're sisters."

kinyume chake, hawa ni kama mtu na dada yake."

He put it on a personal basis.

Akajaribu kuweka katika uhusiano wa karibu hivyo.

I knew Dr. von Braun very well.

Nilimjua Dr. von Braun vizuri sana.

And he said, "Speaking for myself,

Na akasema,"Nikiongea kama mimi,

I can only say that the grandeur of the cosmos

naweza kusema kuwa uzuri wa anga

serves only to confirm

unathibitisha

a belief in the certainty of a creator."

uhakika wa muumbaji."

He also said,

akasema pia,

"In our search to know God,

"katika kutafuta kwetu kumjua Mungu,

I've come to believe that the life of Jesus Christ

nimeamini kuwa maisha ya Yesu Kristo

should be the focus of our efforts and inspiration.

yanatakiwa yawe ndiyo mwongozo wa juhudi zetu.

The reality of this life and His resurrection

Ukweli wa maisha haya na kufufuka kwake

is the hope of mankind."

ni tumaini la wanadamu."

I've done a lot of speaking in Germany

Nimehubiri mara nyingi Ujerumani

and in France, and in different parts of the world --

na Ufaransa, na katika sehemu mbalimbali duniani --

105 countries it's been my privilege to speak in.

nimepata neema ya kuhubiri katika nchi 105.

And I was invited one day to visit

Na nilialikwa siku moja kumtembelea

Chancellor Adenauer,

Waziri mkuu Adenauer,

who was looked upon as sort of the founder of modern Germany,

ambaye alikuwa ni baba wa taifa la kisasa la ujerumani,

since the war.

baada ya vita

And he once -- and he said to me,

na akaniambia

he said, "Young man." He said,

Kijana,

"Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?"

Je unaamini katika kufufuka kwa Yesu Kristo?"

And I said, "Sir, I do."

nikasema,Ndio Bwana mkubwa."

He said, "So do I."

akasema,"hata mimi pia."

He said, "When I leave office,

Akasema,"Nitakapoondoka madarakani,

I'm going to spend my time writing a book

nitaandika kitabu

on why Jesus Christ rose again,

kwa nini Yesu Kristo alifufuka,

and why it's so important to believe that."

na umuhimu wa kuamini hivyo."

In one of his plays,

Katika moja ya maigizo yake,

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

depicts a man dying,

anaonyesha mtu anayekufa,

who says to those gathered around his bed,

anayewaambia waliokuwa wamezunguka kitanda chake,

"The moment when it's terrible to feel regret

"wakati mbaya wa kuwa na majuto

is when one is dying."

ni wakati ambapo mtu anapokuwa anakufa."

How should one live in order not to feel regret when one is dying?

Mtu aishije ili aiwe na majuto wakati wa kufa?

Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal

asked exactly that question

aliuliza swali

in seventeenth-century France.

katika karne ya 17, ufaransa

Pascal has been called the architect

Pascal anahesabika kama mtengenezaji

of modern civilization.

wa ustaarabu wa kisasa.

He was a brilliant scientist

Alikuwa ni mwanasayansi mahiri

at the frontiers of mathematics,

katika eneo la hisabati,

even as a teenager.

hata alipokuwa kijana.

He is viewed by many as the founder of the probability theory,

Anajulikana na wengi kama mwanzilishi wa kanuni ya uwezekano wa kitu fulani kutokea

and a creator of the first model of a computer.

na mwanzilishi wa mfumo wa kwanza wa kompyuta.

And of course, you are all familiar with

na najua mnaelewa

the computer language named for him.

lugha ya kompyuta iliyoitwa kwa jina lake.

Pascal explored in depth our human dilemmas

Pascal alitafiti matatizo makuu matatu ya wanadamu

of evil, suffering and death.

ya uovu,mateso na kifo

He was astounded

alishangazwa sana

at the phenomenon we've been considering:

na vitu ambavyo tumekuwa tukitafakari

that people can achieve extraordinary heights

kwamba watu wanaweza kupata mafanikio makubwa sana

in science, the arts and human enterprise,

katika sayansi,sanaa na biashara,

yet they also are full of anger, hypocrisy

lakini wakawa wamejaa hasira,unafiki

and have -- and self-hatreds.

na kujichukia wenyewe.

Pascal saw us as a remarkable mixture

Pascal alituona sisi kuwa ni mchanganyiko

of genius and self-delusion.

wa umahiri sana na kujidanganya kwingi.

On November 23,

Novemba 23,

1654,

1654

Pascal had a profound religious experience.

Pascal alikutana na hali ya kipekee ya kiroho.

He wrote in his journal these words:

aliandika katika jarida lake maneno haya:

"I submit myself,

"najikabidhi,

absolutely,

kabisa

to Jesus Christ, my redeemer."

kwa Yesu Kristo,mwokozi wangu."

A French historian said,

Mwanahistoria wa kifaransa alisema

two centuries later,

karne mbili baadae,

"Seldom has so mighty an intellect

"ni mara chache sana mtu msomi

submitted with such humility

akajishusha kwa unyenyekevu kiasi hicho

to the authority of Jesus Christ."

kwa mamlaka ya Yesu Kristo."

Pascal came to believe not only the love and the grace of God

Pascal sio tu aliamini juu ya upendo na neema ya Mungu

could bring us back into harmony,

kuwa vinaweza kuturudisha katika furaha,

but he believed

lakini aliamini

that his own sins and failures could be forgiven,

kuwa dhambi zake na kushindwa kwake kunaweza kusamehewa

and that when he died he would go to a place called heaven.

na kuwa akifa ataenda mbinguni

He experienced it in a way that went beyond

hali hii ilikuwa ni zaidi

scientific observation and reason.

ya utafiti wowote wa kisayansi

It was he who penned the well-known words,

alikuwa ni yeye aliyesema maneno haya,

"The heart has its reasons,

"Moyo una sababu zake,

which reason knows not of."

sababu ambazo hauzijui."

Equally well known is Pascal's Wager.

Kingine kinachojulikana sana ni kanuni ya Pascal ya uwepo wa Mungu

Essentially, he said this: "if you bet on God,

alisema." kama ukikubali kuwa Mungu yupo,

and open yourself to his love,

na ukajiachia moyo wako kupokea upendo wake

you lose nothing, even if you're wrong.

hautapoteza chochote hata kama utakuwa umekosea.

But if instead you bet that there is no God,

lakini ukisema hakuna Mungu,

then you can lose it all, in this life and the life to come."

unaweza ukapoteza yote,katika maisha ya sasa na yajayo."

For Pascal, scientific knowledge

Kwa Pascal,maarifa ya Sayansi

paled beside the knowledge of God.

yalikuwa nyuma sana ya neno la Mungu.

The knowledge of God was far beyond

Maarifa ya Mungu yalikuwa mbali sana

anything that ever crossed his mind.

na chochote kilichokuja katika mawazo yake.

He was ready to face him

alikuwa tayari kukutana naye

when he died at the age of 39.

alipokufa akiwa na miaka 39.

King David lived to be 70,

Mfalme Daudi aliishi mpaka kufika miaka 70

a long time in his era.

muda mrefu katika kizazi chake.

Yet he too had to face death,

lakini na yeye alikutana na kifo,

and he wrote these words:

na akaandika maneno haya:

"even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

"Naam,nijapopita katika bonde la uvuli wa mauti,

I will fear no evil,

Sitaogopa mabaya,

for you are with me."

Kwa maana,wewe upo pamoja nami."

This was David's answer to three dilemmas

hili lilikuwa ni jibu la Daudi kwa matatizo haya matatu

of evil, suffering and death.

ya uovu, mateso na kifo.

It can be yours, as well,

jibu hili linaweza likawa lako pia,

as you seek the living God

unapomtafuta Mungu aliye hai

and allow him to fill your life

na kumruhusu ajaze maisha yako

and give you hope for the future.

na kukupa tumaini la maisha ya baadaye.

When I was 17 years of age,

nilipokuwa na miaka 17,

I was born and reared on a farm in North Carolina.

Nilizaliwa na kukua katika shamba huko North Carolina.

I milked cows every morning, and I had to milk the same cows every evening

nilikamua maziwa ya ng'ombe kila asubuhi na jioni

when I came home from school.

niliporudi nyumbani kutoka shule.

And there were 20 of them that I had --

kulikuwa na ng'ombe 20

that I was responsible for,

ambao nilitakiwa niwahudumie,

and I worked on the farm

na pia nilikuwa nafanya shughuli za kilimo shambani

and tried to keep up with my studies.

na kujaribu kuendelea na masomo.

I didn't make good grades in high school.

sikupata matokeo mazuri shule ya sekondari,

I didn't make them in college, until

kwa hiyo sikuweza kwenda chuoni, mpaka

something happened in my heart.

kitu kilipotokea katika moyo wangu.

One day, I was faced face-to-face

siku moja,nilikutana uso kwa uso

with Christ.

na Kristo.

He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life."

akaniambia,' mimi ni njia ya kweli na uzima."

Can you imagine that? "I am the truth.

hebu jaribu kuwaza, mimi ni kweli.

I'm the embodiment of all truth."

mimi ndio huo ukweli wote."

He was a liar.

Alikuwa ni mwongo.

Or he was insane.

au alikuwa amechanganyikiwa.

Or he was what he claimed to be.

au alikuwa ni yule ambaye amesema kuwa ndiye.

Which was he?

alikuwa ni nani?

I had to make that decision.

ilibidi nifanye huo uamuzi.

I couldn't prove it.

sikuweza kuthibitisha

I couldn't take it to a laboratory

sikuweza kufanya utafiti katika maabara

and experiment with it.

na kufanya majaribio.

But by faith I said, I believe him,

lakini kwa imani,nikasema ninamwamini,

and he came into my heart

na aliingia moyoni mwangu

and changed my life.

na kubadilisha maisha yangu.

And now I'm ready,

na sasa niko tayari,

when I hear that call,

nitakaposikia kuitwa,

to go into the presence of God.

kwenda katika uwepo wa Mungu.

Thank you, and God bless all of you.

Asante,na Mungu awabariki wote.

(Applause)

(makofi)

Thank you for the privilege. It was great.

Asante kwa neema hii.ilikuwa ni nzuri

Richard Wurman: You did it.

Richard Wurman:asante kwa kufanikisha hili.

Thanks.

Asante.

(Applause)

(makofi)