സഭാപ്രസംഗി 8
1 ജ്ഞാനിയെപ്പോലെ ആരാണുള്ളത്? വസ്തുതകളെ അവലോകനം ചെയ്യാൻ ആർക്കാണു കഴിയുക? ജ്ഞാനം മനുഷ്യന്റെ മുഖത്തെ ദീപ്തമാക്കുകയും അതിന്റെ കാഠിന്യത്തെ മാറ്റുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.
౧జ్ఞానులంటే ఎవరు? జీవితంలో జరిగేవి ఏమిటి, ఎలా అనే విషయాలు ఎరిగినవారు. మనుషుల జ్ఞానం వారి ముఖానికి తేజస్సు నిస్తుంది. దాని వలన వారి కఠినత్వం మారుతుంది.
2 നീ ദൈവമുമ്പാകെ ഒരു ശപഥം ചെയ്തിട്ടുള്ളതുകൊണ്ട് രാജാവിന്റെ കൽപ്പന അനുസരിക്കാൻ ഞാൻ നിന്നോട് ആജ്ഞാപിക്കുന്നു.
౨నువ్వు దేవుని ఎదుట ఒట్టు పెట్టుకున్నట్టుగా రాజు ఆజ్ఞలకు లోబడి నడుచుకో.
3 രാജസന്നിധിയിൽനിന്ന് പോകാൻ തിടുക്കം കാട്ടരുത്. അദ്ദേഹം തനിക്കിഷ്ടമുള്ളത് ചെയ്യുമെന്നതുകൊണ്ട് ഒരു നീചകാര്യത്തിനുംവേണ്ടി നിലകൊള്ളരുത്.
౩రాజు సన్నిధి నుండి హడావుడిగా బయటికి వెళ్లకు. అతడు అనుకున్న దానంతటినీ జరిగించగలడు కాబట్టి చెడు కార్యాల్లో పాలు పుచ్చుకోకు.
4 രാജശാസന അന്തിമം ആയിരിക്കുന്നിടത്തോളം, “അങ്ങ് എന്താണു ചെയ്യുന്നത്?” എന്ന് അദ്ദേഹത്തോട് ചോദിക്കാൻ ആർക്കു കഴിയും?
౪రాజుల ఆజ్ఞ అధికారంతో కూడినది. “నువ్వు చేసేది ఏమిటి?” అని రాజును అడిగే వాడెవడు?
5 രാജകൽപ്പന അനുസരിക്കുന്നവർക്ക് യാതൊരുദോഷവും ഭവിക്കുകയില്ല, ജ്ഞാനഹൃദയം യുക്തസമയവും നടപടിക്രമങ്ങളും അറിയുന്നു.
౫రాజుకు లోబడేవాడికి ఏ కీడూ జరగదు. ఏది ఎప్పుడు చేయాలో, ఎలా చేయాలో జ్ఞానుల హృదయాలకు తెలుసు.
6 മനുഷ്യന്റെ ദുരിതങ്ങൾ അസഹനീയമാണെങ്കിലും, എല്ലാറ്റിനും യുക്തസമയവും നടപടിക്രമങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടല്ലോ.
౬ప్రతి దానికీ ఒక స్పందన, ఒక సమయం నియామకమై ఉంది. అలా లేకపోతే మనుష్యులకు జరిగే కీడు అధికమైపోతుంది.
7 ഭാവിയെക്കുറിച്ച് ആർക്കും ഒന്നും അറിയാത്തതുകൊണ്ട് എന്തു സംഭവിക്കുമെന്ന് ആർക്കാണ് മറ്റൊരാളോടു പറയാൻ കഴിയുക?
౭జరగబోయేది మనుషులకి తెలియదు. రాబోయే దాని గురించి ఎవరు చెప్పగలరు?
8 തന്റെ ആത്മാവിനെ തടഞ്ഞുനിർത്താൻ, ആത്മാവിന്മേൽ അധികാരമുള്ള ഒരു മനുഷ്യനുമില്ല; ആയതിനാൽ തങ്ങളുടെ മരണദിനത്തിന്മേൽ അധികാരമുള്ള ആരുംതന്നെയില്ല. യുദ്ധകാലത്ത് സേനയിൽനിന്ന് ആരെയും പിരിച്ചുവിടുകയില്ല, അതുപോലെ ദുഷ്‌പ്രവൃത്തി അതു പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നവരെയും വിട്ടുപോകുകയില്ല.
౮ఊపిరి విడవకుండా ఆపుచేయగల అధికారం ఎవరికీ లేదు. తన చావు రోజుపై ఎవరికీ అధికారం లేదు. యుద్దం జరిగే సమయంలో ఎవరికీ విడుదల దొరకదు. దుష్టత్వం దాన్ని వెంబడించే వారిని తప్పించలేదు.
9 സൂര്യനുകീഴിൽ സംഭവിക്കുന്ന സകലവസ്തുതകളും നിരീക്ഷിച്ചപ്പോൾ ഇവയെല്ലാം ഞാൻ കണ്ടു: ഒരു മനുഷ്യൻ വേറൊരുവ്യക്തിയുടെമേൽ അയാളുടെ ദോഷത്തിനായി അധികാരം നടത്തുന്ന ഒരു കാലമുണ്ട്.
౯సూర్యుని కింద జరిగే ప్రతి పని గురించి నేను తీవ్రంగా ఆలోచించినప్పుడు ఇదంతా నాకు తెలిసింది. ఒకడు మరొకడిపై ఉన్న అధికారంతో వాడికి కీడు జరిగిస్తాడు.
10 വിശുദ്ധസ്ഥലത്തു മുടങ്ങാതെ വന്നുപോകുകയും അവർ അധികാരം നടത്തിയ നഗരത്തിൽനിന്ന് പുകഴ്ച കവർന്നെടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്ത ദുഷ്ടർ ബഹുമതികളോടെ അടക്കപ്പെടുന്നതും ഞാൻ കണ്ടു. ഇതും അർഥശൂന്യം!
౧౦దుష్టులను సక్రమంగా పాతిపెట్టడం, పరిశుద్ధ స్థలం నుండి తీసుకుపోవడం, వారు ఎక్కడ చెడ్డ పనులు చేశారో అదే పట్టణస్థులు వారిని పొగడడం నేను చూశాను. ఇది కూడా నిష్ప్రయోజనమే.
11 കുറ്റകൃത്യങ്ങൾക്കുള്ള ശിക്ഷ വേഗം നടപ്പിലാക്കാതിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, തെറ്റു ചെയ്യുന്നതിനുള്ള ആലോചനകൾകൊണ്ടു മനുഷ്യരുടെ ഹൃദയം നിറയും.
౧౧చెడు పనికి తగిన శిక్ష వెంటనే కలగకపోవడం చూసి మనుషులు భయం లేకుండా చెడ్డ పనులు చేస్తారు.
12 നൂറു കുറ്റം ചെയ്ത ദുഷ്ടർ ദീർഘകാലം ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുമെങ്കിലും ദൈവസന്നിധിയിൽ ഭക്തിപൂർവം ദൈവത്തെ ഭയപ്പെടുന്ന മനുഷ്യർ അവരിലും ശ്രേഷ്ഠരായിത്തീരുമെന്ന് എനിക്കറിയാം.
౧౨ఒక దుర్మార్గుడు వంద సార్లు పాపం చేసి దీర్ఘకాలం జీవించినా, దేవునిలో భయభక్తులు కలిగి ఆయన సన్నిధిని గౌరవించేవారు క్షేమంగా ఉంటారని నాకు తెలుసు.
13 ദുഷ്ടർ ദൈവത്തെ ഭയപ്പെടാത്തതുകൊണ്ട് അവർക്ക് അഭിവൃദ്ധിയുണ്ടാകുകയില്ല, വൈകുന്നേരങ്ങളിലെ നിഴൽപോലെ അവരുടെ നാളുകൾ ദീർഘമാകുകയുമില്ല.
౧౩దుర్మార్గులు దేవుని సన్నిధికి భయపడరు కాబట్టి వారికి క్షేమం ఉండదు. వారి జీవితకాలం అశాశ్వతమైన నీడలాగా ఉంటుంది.
14 അർഥശൂന്യമായ മറ്റുചിലതും ഭൂമിയിൽ നടക്കുന്നുണ്ട്: ദുഷ്ടർക്ക് അർഹതപ്പെട്ടതു നീതിനിഷ്ഠർക്കു ലഭിക്കുന്നു, നീതിനിഷ്ഠർക്ക് അർഹതപ്പെട്ടതു ദുഷ്ടർക്കും ലഭിക്കുന്നു. ഇതും അർഥശൂന്യമെന്നു ഞാൻ പറയുന്നു.
౧౪సూర్యుని కింద మరొక నిష్ప్రయోజనమైంది జరుగుతూ ఉంది. అదేమంటే భక్తిహీనులకు జరిగినట్టు నీతిమంతుల్లో కొందరికీ నీతిమంతులకు జరిగినట్టు భక్తిహీనుల్లో కొందరికీ జరుగుతున్నది. ఇది కూడా నిష్ప్రయోజనమే అని నేను అనుకున్నాను.
15 അതുകൊണ്ട് ജീവിതം ആസ്വദിക്കുക അതാണ് എന്റെ നിർദേശം; ഭക്ഷിക്കുക, പാനംചെയ്യുക, ആനന്ദിക്കുക എന്നതിനെക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ മറ്റൊന്നും സൂര്യനുകീഴിൽ മനുഷ്യന് ഇല്ലല്ലോ. അപ്പോൾ സൂര്യനുകീഴിൽ ദൈവം മനുഷ്യനു നൽകിയിരിക്കുന്ന ജീവിതനാളുകളിലെല്ലാം അയാളുടെ കഠിനാധ്വാനത്തിൽ ഈ ആത്മസംതൃപ്തി അദ്ദേഹത്തോടൊപ്പം ഉണ്ടാകും.
౧౫అన్నపానాలు పుచ్చుకుని సంతోషించడం కంటే మనుషులకు మంచి విషయమేమీ లేదు. మనిషి పని చేసి కష్టపడాలని దేవుడు వారికి నియమించిన అతని జీవిత కాలమంతా వారికి తోడుగా ఉండేది వారి సంతోషమే.
16 ജ്ഞാനം അറിയുന്നതിനും ഭൂമിയിലെ മനുഷ്യരുടെ പ്രയത്നം നിരീക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനുമായി ഞാൻ മനസ്സുവെച്ചപ്പോൾ—മനുഷ്യന്റെ കണ്ണുകൾ രാത്രിയും പകലും ഉറക്കമറിയുന്നില്ല—
౧౬జ్ఞానాన్ని అభ్యసించడానికీ మనుషులు దివారాత్రులు నిద్ర లేకుండా చేసే వ్యాపారాలను పరిశీలించి చూశాను.
17 ദൈവം ചെയ്ത സകലപ്രവൃത്തികളും ഞാൻ കണ്ടു. സൂര്യനുകീഴേ നടക്കുന്നതു പൂർണമായി ഗ്രഹിക്കാൻ ആർക്കും കഴിയുകയില്ല. എല്ലാം കണ്ടെത്താൻ മനുഷ്യർ യത്നിക്കുന്നുണ്ടെങ്കിലും അവർക്ക് അതിന്റെ അർഥം കണ്ടെത്താൻ കഴിയുന്നില്ല. ജ്ഞാനി തനിക്കെല്ലാമറിയാം എന്ന് അവകാശപ്പെട്ടാലും, അവർക്കത് യഥാർഥത്തിൽ ഗ്രഹിക്കാൻ കഴിയുകയില്ല.
౧౭దేవుని పనులన్నిటినీ నేను గమనించాను. సూర్యుని కింద జరిగే సంగతులను మనుషులు ఎంత ప్రయత్నించినా గ్రహించలేరనీ, దాన్ని తెలుసుకోవాలని చివరికి జ్ఞానులు పూనుకున్నప్పటికీ వారు సైతం గ్రహించలేరనీ నేను తెలుసుకున్నాను.
