Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's 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 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 delight.
Orang bodoh terus mengejar kesenangan; orang arif selalu memikirkan kematian.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, 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 a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
Jika orang arif menipu, bodohlah tindakannya; jika orang menerima uang suap, rusaklah wataknya.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and 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 your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Jangan buru-buru naik pitam; hanya orang bodoh menyimpan dendam.
10 Say not you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire wisely 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 by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Orang hidup seharusnya berhikmat; nilai hikmat sama dengan warisan;
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have 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, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one opposite to the other, to the end 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 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life 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 righteous over much; neither make yourself over wise: why should you destroy yourself?
Janganlah terlalu baik dan jangan pula terlalu bijaksana. Apa gunanya bunuh diri?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your time?
Jangan juga terlalu jahat atau terlalu dungu. Untuk apa mati sebelum waktunya?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not your hand: for he that fears God shall come out of them all.
Hindarilah kedua-duanya tadi. Jika kita takut kepada Allah, pastilah kita berhasil baik.
19 Wisdom strengthens the wise 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 just 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 take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
Jangan suka mendengarkan omongan-omongan, siapa tahu kau sedang dikutuk seorang pelayan.
22 For oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
Engkau sendiri pun menyadari bahwa orang lain pernah juga kaukutuki.
23 All this have I proved by 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 off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Siapa dapat menemukan arti hidup ini? Terlalu dalam untuk dapat dimengerti!
25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and 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 her hands as bands: whoso 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, this have I found, says the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
Lihat, kata Sang Pemikir: Semua itu kutemukan, ketika langkah demi langkah kucari jawaban.
28 Which yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I 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 Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Hanya inilah yang kudapat: Allah membuat kita sederhana dan biasa. Tetapi kita sendirilah yang membuat diri kita rumit dan berbelit-belit.
