Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.
Nama harum lebih baik daripada minyak bernilai tinggi; dan hari kematian lebih baik daripada hari jadi.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
Lebih baik pergi ke rumah duka daripada ke tempat pesta. Sebab kita harus selalu mengenang bahwa maut menunggu setiap orang.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
Kesedihan lebih baik daripada tawa. Biar wajah murung, asal hati lega.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Orang bodoh terus mengejar kesenangan; orang arif selalu memikirkan kematian.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Lebih baik ditegur oleh orang yang berbudi, daripada dipuji oleh orang yang sukar mengerti.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Tawa orang bodoh tidak berarti, seperti bunyi duri dimakan api.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.
Jika orang arif menipu, bodohlah tindakannya; jika orang menerima uang suap, rusaklah wataknya.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Lebih baik akhir suatu perkara daripada permulaannya; lebih baik bersabar daripada terlalu bangga.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Jangan buru-buru naik pitam; hanya orang bodoh menyimpan dendam.
10 Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Janganlah bertanya, "Mengapa zaman dulu lebih baik daripada zaman sekarang?" Hanya orang dungu yang bertanya begitu.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Orang hidup seharusnya berhikmat; nilai hikmat sama dengan warisan;
12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
sama pula dengan uang pemberi rasa aman. Apalagi pengetahuan tentang hikmat! Siapa memilikinya akan selamat.
13 Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Perhatikanlah pekerjaan Allah. Sebab siapa dapat meluruskan apa yang dibengkokkan Allah?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider. Yea, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
Jadi, bergembiralah jika engkau sedang mujur. Tetapi kalau engkau ditimpa bencana, jangan lupa bahwa Allah memberikan kedua-duanya. Kita tak tahu apa yang terjadi selanjutnya.
15 All this I have seen in my days of vanity. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.
Hidupku tak ada gunanya, tetapi selama hidupku itu kulihat yang berikut ini: Ada kalanya orang yang baik binasa, walaupun dia saleh. Adakalanya orang yang jahat panjang umurnya, walaupun dia terus berdosa.
16 Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?
Janganlah terlalu baik dan jangan pula terlalu bijaksana. Apa gunanya bunuh diri?
17 Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?
Jangan juga terlalu jahat atau terlalu dungu. Untuk apa mati sebelum waktunya?
18 It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.
Hindarilah kedua-duanya tadi. Jika kita takut kepada Allah, pastilah kita berhasil baik.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
Hikmat membuat pemiliknya lebih perkasa daripada sepuluh penguasa di sebuah kota.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.
Di bumi ini tak ada orang yang sempurna; tak ada yang selalu berbuat baik dan tak pernah berdosa.
21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
Jangan suka mendengarkan omongan-omongan, siapa tahu kau sedang dikutuk seorang pelayan.
22 For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.
Engkau sendiri pun menyadari bahwa orang lain pernah juga kaukutuki.
23 All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
Semua itu kuuji dengan hikmatku. Namun semakin kucari hikmat itu, semakin jauh ia daripadaku.
24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
Siapa dapat menemukan arti hidup ini? Terlalu dalam untuk dapat dimengerti!
25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
Namun aku tekun belajar dan mencari pengetahuan, supaya mendapat hikmat dan jawaban atas segala pertanyaan. Aku mencoba mengerti bahwa dosa itu kebodohan, dan kejahatan adalah kenekatan.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Aku mendapati bahwa wanita lebih pahit daripada maut. Cinta wanita seperti jala dan perangkap yang siap menangkap mangsanya. Pelukannya seperti belenggu yang mengikat erat. Orang yang melakukan kehendak Allah terhindar dari jeratnya, tapi orang berdosa pasti akan ditawannya.
27 Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,
Lihat, kata Sang Pemikir: Semua itu kutemukan, ketika langkah demi langkah kucari jawaban.
28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman.
Masih juga aku mencari jawaban-jawaban lain, namun tidak berhasil. Di antara seribu orang, kudapati seorang laki-laki yang kuhormati. Tetapi di antara mereka tak ada wanita yang dapat kuhargai.
29 Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.
Hanya inilah yang kudapat: Allah membuat kita sederhana dan biasa. Tetapi kita sendirilah yang membuat diri kita rumit dan berbelit-belit.
