Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better 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; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living 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 Better is vexation than laughing; for through 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 joy.
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 that a man should 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. Also this is vanity.
Jer kao prasak trnja ispod kotla, takav je smijeh luđaka, i to je ispraznost.
7 For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
Jer smijeh od mudraca čini luđaka i veselje kvari srce.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
Bolji je svršetak stvari nego njezin početak i bolja je strpljivost od oholosti.
9 Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
Ne nagli u srdžbu, jer srdžba počiva u srcu luđaka.
10 Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
Ne pitaj zašto su negdašnja vremena bila bolja od ovih, jer to nije mudro pitanje.
11 Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
Mudrost je dragocjena baština i probitak onima na koje sunce sja.
12 For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth 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 [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
Pogledaj djela Božja; tko može ispraviti što je on iskrivio?
14 On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure 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 many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long 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 show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
Ne budi prepravedan i ne budi premudar; zašto da se uništavaš?
17 Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
Ne budi preopak i ne budi lud; zašto bi umro prije vremena?
18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out 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 giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
Mudrost mudraca veću moć daje gradu nego deset mogućnika.
20 For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
Na zemlji nema pravednika koji, čineći dobro, ne bi nikad sagriješio.
21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
I još jedno: nemoj se obazirati na govorkanje; čut ćeš možda da te sluga tvoj proklinjao;
22 For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know 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 Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
Ono što jest, daleko je i duboko, tako duboko - tko da i pronađe?
25 Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
I još jednom pokušah istražiti i shvatiti mudrost i smisao, da spoznam opačinu kao ludost, a ludost kao bezumlje.
26 And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught 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 Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
Eto, to sam sve u svemu otkrio, veli Propovjednik.
28 What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
I još sam tražio, ali bez uspjeha. Nađoh čovjeka - jednog od tisuću, a žene ne nađoh među svima nijedne.
29 Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
Otkrih ovo: Bog stvori čovjeka jednostavnim, a on snuje nebrojene spletke.
