Once you master it ...hibernate is more easy ...
lesser code to do .
Hibernate is basically a ORM tool which allows you to perform database activies without bothering about the Database change.
You dont need to change the SQL scripts if you change database.
Apart from that you dont need to write most of the SQL scripts for persisting deleting object and parsing the resultsets.With respect to perfomance hibernate provide the capability to reduce the number of database trips by creating the betch processing and session cache and second level cache.
It also supports the transactions.
More then this all it is very easy to make a cleaner seperation of Data Access Layer from business logic layer.
With all the capabilities mention above it is fast and easy to learn hibernate develop application and maintain easily.
you have your objects in the form of pojos .. using hibernate you can directly persist it to one or multiple tables depending upon your requirements
check these links
comparison