Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast thy bread-corn, upon the face of the waters, —for, after many days, shalt thou find it:
Baci kruh svoj na vodu i naći ćeš ga poslije mnogo vremena.
2 Give a portion to seven, yea even to eight, —for thou canst not know, what there shall be of misfortune, upon the earth.
Podijeli sedmorici ili osmorici, jer ne znaš kakvo će zlo zadesiti zemlju.
3 If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.
Kad se oblaci napune kišom, prosiplju je na zemlju, a padne li drvo na jug ili na sjever, svejedno: gdje padne, ondje i ostaje.
4 He that observeth the wind, will not sow, —and, he that watcheth the clouds, will not reap.
Tko pazi na vjetar, ne sije, i tko gleda na oblake, ne žanje.
5 Just as thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.
Kao što ne znaš koji je put vjetru ni kako postaju kosti u utrobi trudne žene, tako ne znaš ni djela Boga koji sve tvori.
6 In the morning, sow thy seed, and, until evening, do not withhold thy hand, —for thou knowest not—whether shall thrive, either this or that, or whether, both alike, shall be fruitful.
Ujutro sij svoje sjeme, a navečer nek' ti ruka ne počiva. Jer ne znaš da li će biti bolje ovo ili ono, ili će oboje biti jednako dobro.
7 Truly sweet is the light, —and, pleasant to the eyes, to see the sun:
Ljupka je svjetlost i ugodno je očima vidjeti sunce.
8 But, though, many years, a man live, through them all, let him rejoice; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for many they may be, all that cometh, may be vanity.
Ali ako čovjek živi i mnogo godina, neka se uvijek veseli, a neka se sjeti da će tamnih dana biti mnogo. Ispraznost je sve što će doći.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou—in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes, —yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.
Zato se raduj, mladiću, za svoje mladosti, i veseli se u danima svoga mladenaštva; idi putovima svoga srca i slijedi želje svojih očiju; ali znaj da će ti za sve to suditi Bog.
10 Therefore remove thou vexation from thy heart, and put away discomfort from thy flesh, —for, youth and dawn, are vanity!
Ukloni dakle jad iz svoga srca i udalji bol od svojega tijela. Ali je isprazna i mladost i doba tamnih kosa.
