Propovednik 4
1 Opet vidjeh sve nepravde koje se èine pod suncem, i gle, suze onijeh kojima se èini nepravda, i nemaju ko bi ih potješio ni snage da se izbave iz ruku onijeh koji im èine nepravdu; nemaju nikoga da ih potješi.
Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
2 Zato hvalih mrtve koji veæ pomriješe više nego žive koji još žive.
I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
3 Ali je bolji i od jednijeh i od drugih onaj koji još nije postao, koji nije vidio zla što biva pod suncem.
But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
4 Jer vidjeh svaki trud i svako dobro djelo da od njega biva zavist èovjeku od bližnjega njegova. I to je taština i muka duhu.
I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
5 Bezumnik sklapa ruke svoje, i jede svoje tijelo.
Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
6 Bolja je jedna grst u miru nego obje grsti s trudom i mukom u duhu.
It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
7 Opet vidjeh taštinu pod suncem:
Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
8 Ima ko je sam, inokosan, nema ni sina ni brata, i opet nema kraja trudu njegovu, i oèi njegove ne mogu da se nasite bogatstva; a ne misli: za koga se muèim i oduzimam svojoj duši dobra? I to je taština i zao posao.
What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
9 Bolje je dvojici nego jednomu, jer imaju dobru dobit od svoga truda.
Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
10 Jer ako jedan padne, drugi æe podignuti druga svojega; a teško jednomu! ako padne, nema drugoga da ga podigne.
If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
11 Jošte ako dvojica spavaju zajedno, grije jedan drugoga; a jedan kako æe se zgrijati?
In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
12 I ako bi ko nadjaèao jednoga, dvojica æe mu odoljeti; i trostruka vrvca ne kida se lako.
Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
13 Bolje je dijete ubogo a mudro nego car star a bezuman, koji se veæ ne zna pouèiti.
A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
14 Jer jedan izlazi iz tamnice da caruje, a drugi koji se rodi da caruje osiromaši.
He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
15 Vidjeh sve žive koji hode pod suncem gdje pristaju za djetetom drugim, koje æe stupiti na njegovo mjesto.
I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
16 Nema kraja narodu koji bijaše pred njim, a koji poslije nastanu neæe se radovati njemu. I to je taština i muka duhu.
He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
