Propovjednik 1
1 Misli Propovjednika, Davidova sina, kralja u Jeruzalemu.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Ispraznost nad ispraznošću, veli Propovjednik, ispraznost nad ispraznošću, sve je ispraznost!
All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
3 Kakva je korist čovjeku od svega truda njegova kojim se trudi pod suncem?
What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
4 Jedan naraštaj odlazi, drugi dolazi, a zemlja uvijek ostaje.
One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
5 Sunce izlazi, sunce zalazi i onda hiti svojem mjestu odakle izlazi.
The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
6 Vjetar puše na jug i okreće se na sjever, kovitla sad ovamo sad onamo i vraća se u novom vrtlogu.
The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
7 Sve rijeke teku u more i more se ne prepunja; odakle teku rijeke, onamo se vraćaju da ponovo počnu svoj tok.
All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8 Sve je mučno. Nitko ne može reći da se oči nisu do sita nagledale i uši dovoljno naslušale.
All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
9 Što je bilo, opet će biti, i što se činilo, opet će se činiti, i nema ništa novo pod suncem.
That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Ima li išta o čemu bi se moglo reći: “Gle, ovo je novo!” Sve je već davno prije nas postojalo.
Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
11 Samo, od prošlosti ne ostade ni spomena, kao što ni u budućnosti neće biti sjećanja na ono što će poslije doći.
There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
12 Ja, Propovjednik, bijah kralj nad Izraelom u Jeruzalemu.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 I trudih se da mudrošću istražim i dokučim sve što biva pod nebom; o, kako mučnu zadaću zadade Bog sinovima ljudskim.
And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
14 Vidjeh sve što se čini pod suncem: kakve li ispraznosti i puste tlapnje!
I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
15 Što je krivo, ne može se ispraviti; čega nema, izbrojiti se ne može.
That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
16 Rekoh onda sam sebi: “Gle, stekao sam veću mudrost nego bilo tko od mojih prethodnika u Jeruzalemu. Duh moj sabrao je golemu mudrost i znanje.”
I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 Mudrost pomnjivo proučih, a tako i glupost i ludost, ali sam spoznao da je to pusta tlapnja.
And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
18 Mnogo mudrosti - mnogo jada; što više znanja, to više boli.
Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
