Ecclesiastes 4
1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne, and beholde the teares of the oppressed, and none comforteth them: and lo, the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them, and none comforteth them.
Opet stadoh promatrati sva nasilja koja se čine pod suncem, i gle, suze potlačenih, i nikog nema da ih utre; i nasilje iz tlačiteljske ruke, a zaštitnika niotkuda.
2 Wherefore I praysed the dead which now are dead, aboue the liuing, which are yet aliue.
Zato sretnima smatram mrtve koji su već pomrli; sretniji su od živih što još žive.
3 And I count him better then them both, which hath not yet bin: for he hath not seene the euill workes which are wrought vnder the sunne.
A od obojih je sretniji onaj koji još nije postao, koji nije vidio zlih djela što se čine pod suncem.
4 Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of workes that this is ye enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.
Nadalje iskusih da svaki napor i svaki uspjeh pribavlja čovjeku zavist njegova bližnjeg. I to je ispraznost i pusta tlapnja.
5 The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh.
Bezumnik prekriži ruke i izjeda sebe.
6 Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit.
Bolja je puna šaka u miru nego obje pregršti mučna rada i puste tlapnje.
7 Againe I returned, and sawe vanitie vnder the sunne.
I još jednu opazih ispraznost pod suncem:
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauaile, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doeth he thinke, For whome doe I trauaile and defraude my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauaile.
Čovjek potpun samac - bez sina, bez brata, i opet nema kraja njegovu trudu; oči mu se ne mogu nasititi blaga; a ne misli: za koga se mučim i uskraćujem dobro sebi? I to je ispraznost i zla briga.
9 Two are better then one: for they haue better wages for their labour.
Bolje je dvojici nego jednome, jer imaju bolju plaću za svoj trud.
10 For if they fal, the one wil lift vp his felow: but wo vnto him that is alone: for he falleth, and there is not a second to lift him vp.
Padne li jedan, drugi će ga podići; a teško jednomu! Ako padne, nema nikoga da ga podigne.
11 Also if two sleepe together, then shall they haue heate: but to one how should there be heate?
Pa ako se i spava udvoje, toplije je; a kako će se samac zagrijati?
12 And if one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefolde coard is not easily broken.
I ako tko udari na jednoga, dvojica će mu se oprijeti; i trostruko se uže ne kida brzo.
13 Better is a poore and wise childe, then an olde and foolish King, which will no more be admonished.
Bolji je mladić siromašan a mudar nego kralj star a lud, koji više ne zna za savjet.
14 For out of the prison he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome, is made poore.
Jer mladić može izići iz tamnice i postati kraljem, iako se rodio kao prosjak u svom kraljevstvu.
15 I behelde all the liuing, which walke vnder the sunne, with the second childe, which shall stand vp in his place.
Opazih kako svi koji žive i hode pod suncem pristaju uz mladića, uz nastupnika koji ga naslijedi.
16 There is none ende of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shall not reioyce in him: surely this is also vanitie and vexation of spirit.
On stupa na čelo bezbrojnih podanika i kasniji se naraštaji ne mogahu zbog njega radovati. I to je zacijelo ispraznost i pusta tlapnja.
