Propovjednik 1
1 Misli Propovjednika, Davidova sina, kralja u Jeruzalemu.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Ispraznost nad ispraznošću, veli Propovjednik, ispraznost nad ispraznošću, sve je ispraznost!
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 Kakva je korist čovjeku od svega truda njegova kojim se trudi pod suncem?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 Jedan naraštaj odlazi, drugi dolazi, a zemlja uvijek ostaje.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 Sunce izlazi, sunce zalazi i onda hiti svojem mjestu odakle izlazi.
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 Vjetar puše na jug i okreće se na sjever, kovitla sad ovamo sad onamo i vraća se u novom vrtlogu.
Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
7 Sve rijeke teku u more i more se ne prepunja; odakle teku rijeke, onamo se vraćaju da ponovo počnu svoj tok.
All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8 Sve je mučno. Nitko ne može reći da se oči nisu do sita nagledale i uši dovoljno naslušale.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
9 Što je bilo, opet će biti, i što se činilo, opet će se činiti, i nema ništa novo pod suncem.
What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10 Ima li išta o čemu bi se moglo reći: “Gle, ovo je novo!” Sve je već davno prije nas postojalo.
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
11 Samo, od prošlosti ne ostade ni spomena, kao što ni u budućnosti neće biti sjećanja na ono što će poslije doći.
There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 Ja, Propovjednik, bijah kralj nad Izraelom u Jeruzalemu.
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 I trudih se da mudrošću istražim i dokučim sve što biva pod nebom; o, kako mučnu zadaću zadade Bog sinovima ljudskim.
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 Vidjeh sve što se čini pod suncem: kakve li ispraznosti i puste tlapnje!
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 Što je krivo, ne može se ispraviti; čega nema, izbrojiti se ne može.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16 Rekoh onda sam sebi: “Gle, stekao sam veću mudrost nego bilo tko od mojih prethodnika u Jeruzalemu. Duh moj sabrao je golemu mudrost i znanje.”
I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
17 Mudrost pomnjivo proučih, a tako i glupost i ludost, ali sam spoznao da je to pusta tlapnja.
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 Mnogo mudrosti - mnogo jada; što više znanja, to više boli.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
