Ecclesiastes 4
1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
Опет видех све неправде које се чине под сунцем, и гле, сузе оних којима се чини неправда, и немају ко би их потешио ни снаге да се избаве из руку оних који им чине неправду; немају никога да их потеши.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Зато хвалих мртве који већ помреше више него живе који још живе.
3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
Али је бољи и од једних и од других онај који још није постао, који није видео зло што бива под сунцем.
4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
Јер видех сваки труд и свако добро дело да од њега бива завист човеку од ближњег његовог. И то је таштина и мука духу.
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
Безумник склапа руке своје, и једе своје тело:
6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
Боља је једна грст у миру него обе грсти с трудом и муком у духу.
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Опет видех таштину под сунцем:
8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
Има ко је сам, инокосан, нема ни сина ни брата, и опет нема краја труду његовом, и очи његове не могу да се насите богатства; а не мисли: За кога се мучим и одузимам својој души добра? И то је таштина и зао посао.
9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
Боље је двојици него једном, јер имају добру добит од свог труда.
10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
Јер ако један падне, други ће подигнути друга свог; а тешко једном! Ако падне, нема другог да га подигне.
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
Још ако двојица спавају заједно, греје један другог; а један како ће се згрејати?
12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
И ако би ко надјачао једног, двојица ће му одолети; и трострука врпца не кида се лако.
13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
Боље је дете убого, а мудро него цар стар, а безуман, који се већ не зна поучити.
14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
Јер један излази из тамнице да царује, а други који се роди да царује осиромаши.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Видех све живе који ходе под сунцем где пристају за дететом другим, које ће ступити на његово место.
16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
Нема краја народу који беше пред њим, а који после настану неће се радовати њему. И то је таштина и мука духу.
