Ecclesiastes 4
1 SO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
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 praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
Zato sretnima smatram mrtve koji su već pomrli; sretniji su od živih što još žive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
A od obojih je sretniji onaj koji još nije postao, koji nije vidio zlih djela što se čine pod suncem.
4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity 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 fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Bezumnik prekriži ruke i izjeda sebe.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Bolja je puna šaka u miru nego obje pregršti mučna rada i puste tlapnje.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
I još jednu opazih ispraznost pod suncem:
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
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 than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Bolje je dvojici nego jednome, jer imaju bolju plaću za svoj trud.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Padne li jedan, drugi će ga podići; a teško jednomu! Ako padne, nema nikoga da ga podigne.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
Pa ako se i spava udvoje, toplije je; a kako će se samac zagrijati?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
I ako tko udari na jednoga, dvojica će mu se oprijeti; i trostruko se uže ne kida brzo.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who 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 prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
Jer mladić može izići iz tamnice i postati kraljem, iako se rodio kao prosjak u svom kraljevstvu.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
Opazih kako svi koji žive i hode pod suncem pristaju uz mladića, uz nastupnika koji ga naslijedi.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity 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.
