Ecclesiastes 4
1 I turned myself to other things, and I saw the false accusations which are carried out under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and that there was no one to console them; and that they were not able to withstand their violence, being destitute of all help.
Opet vidjeh sve nepravde koje se èine pod suncem, i gle, suze onijeh kojima se èini nepravda, i nemaju ko bi ih potješio ni snage da se izbave iz ruku onijeh koji im èine nepravdu; nemaju nikoga da ih potješi.
2 And so, I praised the dead more than the living.
Zato hvalih mrtve koji veæ pomriješe više nego žive koji još žive.
3 And happier than both of these, I judged him to be, who has not yet been born, and who has not yet seen the evils which are done under the sun.
Ali je bolji i od jednijeh i od drugih onaj koji još nije postao, koji nije vidio zla što biva pod suncem.
4 Again, I was contemplating all the labors of men. And I took notice that their endeavors are open to the envy of their neighbor. And so, in this, too, there is emptiness and superfluous anxiety.
Jer vidjeh svaki trud i svako dobro djelo da od njega biva zavist èovjeku od bližnjega njegova. I to je taština i muka duhu.
5 The foolish man folds his hands together, and he consumes his own flesh, saying:
Bezumnik sklapa ruke svoje, i jede svoje tijelo.
6 “A handful with rest is better than both hands filled with labors and with affliction of the soul.”
Bolja je jedna grst u miru nego obje grsti s trudom i mukom u duhu.
7 While considering this, I also discovered another vanity under the sun.
Opet vidjeh taštinu pod suncem:
8 He is one, and he does not have a second: no son, no brother. And yet he does not cease to labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with wealth, nor does he reflect, saying: “For whom do I labor and cheat my soul of good things?” In this, too, is emptiness and a most burdensome affliction.
Ima ko je sam, inokosan, nema ni sina ni brata, i opet nema kraja trudu njegovu, i oèi njegove ne mogu da se nasite bogatstva; a ne misli: za koga se muèim i oduzimam svojoj duši dobra? I to je taština i zao posao.
9 Therefore, it is better for two to be together, than for one to be alone. For they have the advantage of their companionship.
Bolje je dvojici nego jednomu, jer imaju dobru dobit od svoga truda.
10 If one falls, he shall be supported by the other. Woe to one who is alone. For when he falls, he has no one to lift him up.
Jer ako jedan padne, drugi æe podignuti druga svojega; a teško jednomu! ako padne, nema drugoga da ga podigne.
11 And if two are sleeping, they warm one another. How can one person alone be warmed?
Jošte ako dvojica spavaju zajedno, grije jedan drugoga; a jedan kako æe se zgrijati?
12 And if a man can prevail against one, two may withstand him, and a threefold cord is broken with difficulty.
I ako bi ko nadjaèao jednoga, dvojica æe mu odoljeti; i trostruka vrvca ne kida se lako.
13 Better is a boy, poor and wise, than a king, old and foolish, who does not know to look ahead for the sake of posterity.
Bolje je dijete ubogo a mudro nego car star a bezuman, koji se veæ ne zna pouèiti.
14 For sometimes, one goes forth from prison and chains, to a kingdom, while another, born to kingly power, is consumed by need.
Jer jedan izlazi iz tamnice da caruje, a drugi koji se rodi da caruje osiromaši.
15 I saw all the living who are walking under the sun, and I saw the next generation, who shall rise up in their places.
Vidjeh sve žive koji hode pod suncem gdje pristaju za djetetom drugim, koje æe stupiti na njegovo mjesto.
16 The number of people, out of all who existed before these, is boundless. And those who will exist afterwards shall not rejoice in them. But this, too, is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
Nema kraja narodu koji bijaše pred njim, a koji poslije nastanu neæe se radovati njemu. I to je taština i muka duhu.
