Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than good 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 banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] 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 will be made better.
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 a reproof 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 As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
Tawa orang bodoh tidak berarti, seperti bunyi duri dimakan api.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
Jika orang arif menipu, bodohlah tindakannya; jika orang menerima uang suap, rusaklah wataknya.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
Lebih baik akhir suatu perkara daripada permulaannya; lebih baik bersabar daripada terlalu bangga.
9 Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Jangan buru-buru naik pitam; hanya orang bodoh menyimpan dendam.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
Janganlah bertanya, "Mengapa zaman dulu lebih baik daripada zaman sekarang?" Hanya orang dungu yang bertanya begitu.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Orang hidup seharusnya berhikmat; nilai hikmat sama dengan warisan;
12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
sama pula dengan uang pemberi rasa aman. Apalagi pengetahuan tentang hikmat! Siapa memilikinya akan selamat.
13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Perhatikanlah pekerjaan Allah. Sebab siapa dapat meluruskan apa yang dibengkokkan Allah?
14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing 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 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
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 very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
Janganlah terlalu baik dan jangan pula terlalu bijaksana. Apa gunanya bunuh diri?
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
Jangan juga terlalu jahat atau terlalu dungu. Untuk apa mati sebelum waktunya?
18 It is well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
Hindarilah kedua-duanya tadi. Jika kita takut kepada Allah, pastilah kita berhasil baik.
19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Hikmat membuat pemiliknya lebih perkasa daripada sepuluh penguasa di sebuah kota.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
Di bumi ini tak ada orang yang sempurna; tak ada yang selalu berbuat baik dan tak pernah berdosa.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
Jangan suka mendengarkan omongan-omongan, siapa tahu kau sedang dikutuk seorang pelayan.
22 For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
Engkau sendiri pun menyadari bahwa orang lain pernah juga kaukutuki.
23 All these things have I 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] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
Siapa dapat menemukan arti hidup ini? Terlalu dalam untuk dapat dimengerti!
25 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
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 her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught 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, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
Lihat, kata Sang Pemikir: Semua itu kutemukan, ketika langkah demi langkah kucari jawaban.
28 which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
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 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Hanya inilah yang kudapat: Allah membuat kita sederhana dan biasa. Tetapi kita sendirilah yang membuat diri kita rumit dan berbelit-belit.
