Propovjednik 12
1 I sjećaj se svoga Stvoritelja u danima svoje mladosti prije nego dođu zli dani i prispiju godine kad ćeš reći: “Ne mile mi se.”
Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, 'I have no pleasure in them.'
2 Prije nego potamni sunce i svjetlost, mjesec i zvijezde, i vrate se oblaci iza kiše.
While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.
3 U dan kad zadrhte čuvari kuće i pognu se junaci, i dosađuju se mlinarice jer ih je premalo, i potamne oni koji gledaju kroz prozore;
In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
4 kad se zatvore ulična vrata, oslabi šum mlina, kad utihne pjev ptice i zamru zvuci pjesme.
And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
5 Kad je put uzbrdo muka i svaki izlazak prijetnja; a badem je u cvatu, i skakavac ne skače više, i koprov plot puca, jer čovjek ide u svoj vječni dom! A narikače već se kreću ulicama.
Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
6 Prije nego se prekine srebrna vrpca i zlatna se svjetiljka razbije i razlupa se vrč na izvoru i slomi točak na bunaru;
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
7 i vrati se prah u zemlju kao što je iz nje i došao, a duh se vrati Bogu koji ga je dao.
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
8 Ispraznost nad ispraznostima, veli Propovjednik, sve je ispraznost.
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
9 A osim toga što je sam Propovjednik bio mudar, on je i narod učio mudrosti te je odmjerio, ispitao i sastavio mnogo mudrih izreka.
And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
10 Ujedno se Propovjednik trudio pronaći prikladne riječi i izravno izraziti istinu.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.
11 Besjede su mudrih ljudi kao ostani i kao pobodeni kolci: pastir se njima služi na dobro svojega stada.
Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.
12 I na kraju, sine moj, znaj da je neizmjerno mnogo truda potrebno da se napiše knjiga i da mnogo učenje umara tijelo.
And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
13 Čujmo svemu završnu riječ: “Boj se Boga, izvršuj njegove zapovijedi, jer - to je sav čovjek.”
The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
14 Jer sva će skrivena djela, bila dobra ili zla, Bog izvesti na sud.
For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
