Pridigar 4
1 Tako sem se vrnil in preudaril vsa zatiranja, ki so storjena pod soncem in gledal solze tistih, ki so bili zatirani in niso imeli tolažnika in je bila moč na strani njihovih zatiralcev, toda niso imeli nobenega tolažnika.
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
2 Zatorej sem bolj hvalil mrtve, ki so že mrtvi, kakor živeče, ki so še živi.
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 Da, kakor oni oboji je boljši tisti, ki še ni bil, ki še ni videl zlobnega dela, ki je storjeno pod soncem.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Ponovno, preudaril sem vso muko in vsako pravilno delo, da zaradi tega človeku zavidajo njegovi sosedi. Tudi to je ničevost in draženje duha.
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
5 Bedak drži prekrižane roke in jé svoje lastno meso.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 Boljše je prgišče s spokojnostjo, kakor obe roki napolnjeni z muko in draženjem duha.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 Potem sem se vrnil in videl ničevost pod soncem.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 Tam je nekdo sam in ni drugega, da, nima niti otroka niti brata, vendar ni konca vsemu njegovemu trudu, niti njegovo oko ni nasičeno z bogastvi, niti ne pravi: »Za koga se trudim in svoji duši kratim dobro?« Tudi to je ničevost, da, to je boleča muka.
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
9 Dva sta boljša kakor eden, zato ker imata dobro nagrado za svoj trud.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 Kajti če padeta, bo vsak dvignil svojega tovariša; toda gorje tistemu, ki je sam, ko pade, kajti nima drugega, da mu pomaga pokonci.
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 Ponovno, če dva ležita skupaj, potem imata toploto, toda kako se lahko nekdo ogreje sam?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 In če eden zoper njega prevlada, se mu bosta zoperstavila dva in trojna vrvica ni hitro pretrgana.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 Boljši je ubog in moder otrok, kakor star in nespameten kralj, ki noče biti več opomnjen.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 Kajti on prihaja iz ječe, da vlada, medtem ko tisti, ki je prav tako rojen v njegovem kraljestvu, postaja ubog.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 Preudaril sem vse živeče, ki hodijo pod soncem, z drugim otrokom, ki bo vstal namesto njega.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 Ni konca vsemu ljudstvu, celó vseh, ki so bili pred njimi. Tudi tisti, ki pridejo potem, se ne bodo veselili v njem. Zagotovo je tudi to ničevost in draženje duha.
There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
