Propovjednik 7
1 Bolji je dobar glas nego skupocjeno ulje, i smrtni dan nego dan rođenja.
A [good] name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 Bolje je ići u kuću gdje je žalost nego u kuću gdje je gozba, jer ondje je kraj svakoga čovjeka, i tko je živ, nek' primi k srcu!
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: in that that is the end of all men, and the living taketh it to heart.
3 Bolji je jad nego smijeh, jer pod žalosnim licem srce je radosno.
Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 Srce je mudrih ljudi u kući žalosti, a srce bezumnih u kući veselja.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth.
5 Bolje je poslušati ukor mudra čovjeka negoli slušati hvalospjev luđaka.
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to hear the song of fools.
6 Jer kao prasak trnja ispod kotla, takav je smijeh luđaka, i to je ispraznost.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Jer smijeh od mudraca čini luđaka i veselje kvari srce.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Bolji je svršetak stvari nego njezin početak i bolja je strpljivost od oholosti.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.
9 Ne nagli u srdžbu, jer srdžba počiva u srcu luđaka.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Ne pitaj zašto su negdašnja vremena bila bolja od ovih, jer to nije mudro pitanje.
Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Mudrost je dragocjena baština i probitak onima na koje sunce sja.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.
12 Jer kao što je novac zaštita, tako je i mudrost; a prednost je mudrosti u tome što izbavlja onoga tko je ima.
For wisdom is a defence [as] money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, [that] wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.
13 Pogledaj djela Božja; tko može ispraviti što je on iskrivio?
Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
14 U sretan dan uživaj sreću, a u zao dan razmišljaj: Bog je stvorio jedno kao i drugo - da čovjek ne otkrije ništa od svoje budućnosti.
In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing [of what shall be] after him.
15 Svašta vidjeh u svojemu ništavnom životu: pravednik propada unatoč svojoj pravednosti, a bezbožnik i dalje živi unatoč svojoj bezbožnosti.
All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.
16 Ne budi prepravedan i ne budi premudar; zašto da se uništavaš?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Ne budi preopak i ne budi lud; zašto bi umro prije vremena?
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Dobro je da držiš jedno, ali ni drugo ne puštaj iz ruke, jer tko se boji Boga, izbavlja se od svega.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.
19 Mudrost mudraca veću moć daje gradu nego deset mogućnika.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] that are in a city.
20 Na zemlji nema pravednika koji, čineći dobro, ne bi nikad sagriješio.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
21 I još jedno: nemoj se obazirati na govorkanje; čut ćeš možda da te sluga tvoj proklinjao;
Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
22 a zna tvoje srce kako si i ti često druge proklinjao.
For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Sve sam to mudrošću iskušao. Mislio sam da sam mudar, ali mi je mudrost bila nedokučiva.
All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Ono što jest, daleko je i duboko, tako duboko - tko da i pronađe?
Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
25 I još jednom pokušah istražiti i shvatiti mudrost i smisao, da spoznam opačinu kao ludost, a ludost kao bezumlje.
I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
26 Otkrih da ima nešto gorče od smrti - žena, ona je zamka, srce joj je mreža, a ruke okovi; tko je Bogu drag, izmiče joj, a grešnik je njezin sužanj.
and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Eto, to sam sve u svemu otkrio, veli Propovjednik.
See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, [searching] one by one to find out the reason;
28 I još sam tražio, ali bez uspjeha. Nađoh čovjeka - jednog od tisuću, a žene ne nađoh među svima nijedne.
which my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Otkrih ovo: Bog stvori čovjeka jednostavnim, a on snuje nebrojene spletke.
Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
