Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Bolji je dobar glas nego skupocjeno ulje, i smrtni dan nego dan rođenja.
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.
Bolje je ići u kuću gdje je žalost nego u kuću gdje je gozba, jer ondje je kraj svakoga čovjeka, i tko je živ, nek' primi k srcu!
3 Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Bolji je jad nego smijeh, jer pod žalosnim licem srce je radosno.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
Srce je mudrih ljudi u kući žalosti, a srce bezumnih u kući veselja.
5 [It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Bolje je poslušati ukor mudra čovjeka negoli slušati hvalospjev luđaka.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.
Jer kao prasak trnja ispod kotla, takav je smijeh luđaka, i to je ispraznost.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Jer smijeh od mudraca čini luđaka i veselje kvari srce.
8 Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.
Bolji je svršetak stvari nego njezin početak i bolja je strpljivost od oholosti.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ne nagli u srdžbu, jer srdžba počiva u srcu luđaka.
10 Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Ne pitaj zašto su negdašnja vremena bila bolja od ovih, jer to nije mudro pitanje.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
Mudrost je dragocjena baština i probitak onima na koje sunce sja.
12 For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
Jer kao što je novac zaštita, tako je i mudrost; a prednost je mudrosti u tome što izbavlja onoga tko je ima.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?
Pogledaj djela Božja; tko može ispraviti što je on iskrivio?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
U sretan dan uživaj sreću, a u zao dan razmišljaj: Bog je stvorio jedno kao i drugo - da čovjek ne otkrije ništa od svoje budućnosti.
15 All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
Svašta vidjeh u svojemu ništavnom životu: pravednik propada unatoč svojoj pravednosti, a bezbožnik i dalje živi unatoč svojoj bezbožnosti.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Ne budi prepravedan i ne budi premudar; zašto da se uništavaš?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Ne budi preopak i ne budi lud; zašto bi umro prije vremena?
18 [It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
Dobro je da držiš jedno, ali ni drugo ne puštaj iz ruke, jer tko se boji Boga, izbavlja se od svega.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city.
Mudrost mudraca veću moć daje gradu nego deset mogućnika.
20 For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Na zemlji nema pravednika koji, čineći dobro, ne bi nikad sagriješio.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
I još jedno: nemoj se obazirati na govorkanje; čut ćeš možda da te sluga tvoj proklinjao;
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
a zna tvoje srce kako si i ti često druge proklinjao.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
Sve sam to mudrošću iskušao. Mislio sam da sam mudar, ali mi je mudrost bila nedokučiva.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Ono što jest, daleko je i duboko, tako duboko - tko da i pronađe?
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:
I još jednom pokušah istražiti i shvatiti mudrost i smisao, da spoznam opačinu kao ludost, a ludost kao bezumlje.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Otkrih da ima nešto gorče od smrti - žena, ona je zamka, srce joj je mreža, a ruke okovi; tko je Bogu drag, izmiče joj, a grešnik je njezin sužanj.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
Eto, to sam sve u svemu otkrio, veli Propovjednik.
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
I još sam tražio, ali bez uspjeha. Nađoh čovjeka - jednog od tisuću, a žene ne nađoh među svima nijedne.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Otkrih ovo: Bog stvori čovjeka jednostavnim, a on snuje nebrojene spletke.
