Propovjednik 2
1 Tad rekoh u srcu svom: “Daj da okušam užitak i vidim što naslada pruža” - ali gle: i to je ispraznost!
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
2 O smijehu rekoh: “Ludost je”; o užitku: “Čemu valja?”
I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 Odlučih tijelo krijepiti vinom, a srce posvetiti mudrosti; poželjeh prigrliti i ludost, kako bih spoznao usrećava li ljude ono što pod nebesima čine za izbrojenih dana svojega života.
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
4 Učinih velika djela: sazidah sebi palače, zasadih vinograde;
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 uredih perivoje i voćnjake, nasadih u njima voćke svakojake.
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
6 Načinih jezera da plodna sadišta natapam.
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
7 Nakupovah robova i robinja, imadoh i sluge domaće, a tako i stada krupne i sitne stoke više no itko prije mene u Jeruzalemu.
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
8 Nagomilah srebro i zlato i blago kraljeva i pokrajina, nabavih pjevače i pjevačice i svakoga raskošja ljudskog, sve škrinju na škrinji.
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
9 I postadoh tako velik, veći no bilo tko prije mene u Jeruzalemu; a nije me ni mudrost moja ostavila.
So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
10 I što god su mi oči poželjele, nisam im uskratio, niti branih srcu svojemu kakva veselja, već se srce moje veselilo svakom trudu mojem, i takva bi nagrada svakom mojem naporu.
Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 A onda razmotrih sva svoja djela, sve napore što uložih da do njih dođem - i gle, sve je to opet ispraznost i pusta tlapnja! I ništa nema valjano pod suncem.
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 Okrenuh zatim misao svoju mudrosti, gluposti i ludosti. Što, na priliku, čini kraljev nasljednik? Ono što je već učinjeno.
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
13 I spoznadoh da je bolja mudrost od ludosti, kao što je svjetlost bolja od tame.
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
14 Mudracu su oči u glavi, a bezumnik luta u tami. Ali također znam da obojicu stiže ista kob.
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
15 Zato rekoh u sebi: “Kakva je sudbina luđaku, takva je i meni. Čemu onda žudjeti za mudrošću?” I rekoh u srcu: “I to je ispraznost!”
So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
16 Jer trajna spomena nema ni mudru ni bezumniku: obojicu će poslije nekog vremena prekriti zaborav! I, jao, mudrac mora umrijeti kao i bezumnik.
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
17 Omrznuh život, jer mi se učini mučnim sve što se zbiva pod suncem: sve je ispraznost i pusta tlapnja.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
18 Zamrzih sve za što sam se pod suncem trudio i što sad ostavljam svome nasljedniku.
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 Tko zna hoće li on biti mudar ili lud? Pa ipak on će biti gospodar sve moje muke u koju uložih sav svoj napor i mudrost pod suncem. I to je ispraznost.
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
20 I stao sam srcem očajavati zbog velikog napora kojim sam se trudio pod suncem.
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
21 Jer čovjek se trudi mudro i umješno i uspješno, pa sve to mora ostaviti u baštinu drugomu koji se oko toga nije uopće trudio. I to je ispraznost i velika nevolja.
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
22 Jer što on dobiva za sav svoj napor i trud koji je pod suncem podnio?
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
23 Jer svi su njegovi dani doista mukotrpni, poslovi mu puni brige; čak ni noću ne miruje srce njegovo. I to je ispraznost.
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
24 Nema čovjeku druge sreće već jesti i piti i biti zadovoljan svojim poslom. I to je, vidim, dar Božje ruke.
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
25 Jer tko bi mogao jesti, tko li nezadovoljan biti, osim po njemu.
For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
26 Mudrost, spoznaju, radost on daruje onom tko mu je po volji, a grešniku nameće zadaću da sabira i skuplja za onoga tko je po volji Bogu. I to je ispraznost i pusta tlapnja.
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
