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 in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.
2 O smijehu rekoh: “Ludost je”; o užitku: “Čemu valja?”
I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?
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 searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.
4 Učinih velika djela: sazidah sebi palače, zasadih vinograde;
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5 uredih perivoje i voćnjake, nasadih u njima voćke svakojake.
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit;
6 Načinih jezera da plodna sadišta natapam.
I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared.
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 servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been 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.
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines.
9 I postadoh tako velik, veći no bilo tko prije mene u Jeruzalemu; a nije me ni mudrost moja ostavila.
And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also 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.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.
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.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 Okrenuh zatim misao svoju mudrosti, gluposti i ludosti. Što, na priliku, čini kraljev nasljednik? Ono što je već učinjeno.
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man [do] that cometh after the king? — that which hath already been done.
13 I spoznadoh da je bolja mudrost od ludosti, kao što je svjetlost bolja od tame.
And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.
14 Mudracu su oči u glavi, a bezumnik luta u tami. Ali također znam da obojicu stiže ista kob.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
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!”
And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
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 shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?
17 Omrznuh život, jer mi se učini mučnim sve što se zbiva pod suncem: sve je ispraznost i pusta tlapnja.
And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
18 Zamrzih sve za što sam se pod suncem trudio i što sad ostavljam svome nasljedniku.
And I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be 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 knoweth whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 I stao sam srcem očajavati zbog velikog napora kojim sam se trudio pod suncem.
Then I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured 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.
For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Jer što on dobiva za sav svoj napor i trud koji je pod suncem podnio?
For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself 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.
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Nema čovjeku druge sreće već jesti i piti i biti zadovoljan svojim poslom. I to je, vidim, dar Božje ruke.
There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 Jer tko bi mogao jesti, tko li nezadovoljan biti, osim po njemu.
For who can eat, or who be eager, more than I?
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.
For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
