< 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, and enjoy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity.
2 O smijehu rekoh: “Ludost je”; o užitku: “Čemu valja?”
I said of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth 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 searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few 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 all kinds of fruit;
6 Načinih jezera da plodna sadišta natapam.
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with 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 men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
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 treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.
9 I postadoh tako velik, veći no bilo tko prije mene u Jeruzalemu; a nije me ni mudrost moja ostavila.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.
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 had joy of 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 I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after 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 can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 I spoznadoh da je bolja mudrost od ludosti, kao što je svjetlost bolja od tame.
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far 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, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness. And I 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!”
Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more 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 of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as 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 wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 Zamrzih sve za što sam se pod suncem trudio i što sad ostavljam svome nasljedniku.
And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must 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 will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 I stao sam srcem očajavati zbog velikog napora kojim sam se trudio pod suncem.
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein 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 is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for 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 hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth 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 pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not 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 better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Jer tko bi mogao jesti, tko li nezadovoljan biti, osim po njemu.
For who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not 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 to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.