Pengkhotbah 6
1 Kulihat lagi ketidakadilan yang sangat menekan manusia di dunia ini.
There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
2 Ada kalanya Allah memberi kekayaan, kehormatan dan harta benda kepada seseorang, sehingga tak ada lagi yang diinginkannya. Tetapi Allah tidak mengizinkan dia menikmati semua pemberian itu. Sebaliknya, orang yang tidak dikenal-Nya akan menikmati kekayaan itu. Jadi, semua itu sia-sia dan menyedihkan.
It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
3 Walaupun seorang mempunyai seratus anak dan hidup lama sehingga mencapai usia lanjut, tetapi jika ia tidak merasa bahagia dan tidak pula mendapat penguburan yang pantas, maka menurut pendapatku, bayi yang lahir mati lebih baik nasibnya daripada orang itu.
If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
4 Sebab bagi bayi itu tidak jadi soal apakah ia dilahirkan atau tidak; dia pergi ke dalam kegelapan, lalu segera dilupakan.
For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
5 Belum pernah ia melihat sinar matahari, dan ia belum juga mengerti apa hidup ini, sehingga ia dapat berbaring dengan tentram.
He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
6 Dan itu lebih baik daripada orang yang hidup dua ratus tahun, namun tidak pernah bahagia. Bukankah kedua-duanya pergi ke tempat yang sama juga?
Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
7 Manusia bekerja hanya untuk makan, tetapi ia tidak pernah merasa puas.
Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
8 Jadi, apa keuntungan orang arif dibandingkan dengan orang bodoh? Apa pula gunanya jika orang miskin berkelakukan baik di tengah-tengah masyarakat?
What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
9 Semua itu sia-sia seperti usaha mengejar angin. Lebih baik kita puas dengan apa yang ada pada kita daripada selalu menginginkan lebih banyak lagi.
It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
10 Segala sesuatu yang ada, sudah ada sejak lama. Kita tahu bahwa manusia tidak dapat membantah orang yang lebih kuat daripada dia.
Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
11 Semakin lama ia membantah, semakin tidak berarti kata-katanya, malahan ia tidak mendapat keuntungan apa-apa.
There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
12 Bagaimana orang dapat mengetahui apa yang paling baik baginya di dalam hidupnya yang pendek dan tidak berguna, dan yang lewat seperti bayangan? Bagaimana seorang dapat mengerti apa yang akan terjadi di dunia ini setelah ia tiada?
Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
