Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.
Nama harum lebih baik daripada minyak bernilai tinggi; dan hari kematian lebih baik daripada hari jadi.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
Lebih baik pergi ke rumah duka daripada ke tempat pesta. Sebab kita harus selalu mengenang bahwa maut menunggu setiap orang.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
Kesedihan lebih baik daripada tawa. Biar wajah murung, asal hati lega.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Orang bodoh terus mengejar kesenangan; orang arif selalu memikirkan kematian.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Lebih baik ditegur oleh orang yang berbudi, daripada dipuji oleh orang yang sukar mengerti.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Tawa orang bodoh tidak berarti, seperti bunyi duri dimakan api.
7 Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
Jika orang arif menipu, bodohlah tindakannya; jika orang menerima uang suap, rusaklah wataknya.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Lebih baik akhir suatu perkara daripada permulaannya; lebih baik bersabar daripada terlalu bangga.
9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Jangan buru-buru naik pitam; hanya orang bodoh menyimpan dendam.
10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.
Janganlah bertanya, "Mengapa zaman dulu lebih baik daripada zaman sekarang?" Hanya orang dungu yang bertanya begitu.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Orang hidup seharusnya berhikmat; nilai hikmat sama dengan warisan;
12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
sama pula dengan uang pemberi rasa aman. Apalagi pengetahuan tentang hikmat! Siapa memilikinya akan selamat.
13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Perhatikanlah pekerjaan Allah. Sebab siapa dapat meluruskan apa yang dibengkokkan Allah?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
Jadi, bergembiralah jika engkau sedang mujur. Tetapi kalau engkau ditimpa bencana, jangan lupa bahwa Allah memberikan kedua-duanya. Kita tak tahu apa yang terjadi selanjutnya.
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
Hidupku tak ada gunanya, tetapi selama hidupku itu kulihat yang berikut ini: Ada kalanya orang yang baik binasa, walaupun dia saleh. Adakalanya orang yang jahat panjang umurnya, walaupun dia terus berdosa.
16 Do not be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Janganlah terlalu baik dan jangan pula terlalu bijaksana. Apa gunanya bunuh diri?
17 Do not be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
Jangan juga terlalu jahat atau terlalu dungu. Untuk apa mati sebelum waktunya?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that do not withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.
Hindarilah kedua-duanya tadi. Jika kita takut kepada Allah, pastilah kita berhasil baik.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
Hikmat membuat pemiliknya lebih perkasa daripada sepuluh penguasa di sebuah kota.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.
Di bumi ini tak ada orang yang sempurna; tak ada yang selalu berbuat baik dan tak pernah berdosa.
21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
Jangan suka mendengarkan omongan-omongan, siapa tahu kau sedang dikutuk seorang pelayan.
22 for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
Engkau sendiri pun menyadari bahwa orang lain pernah juga kaukutuki.
23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
Semua itu kuuji dengan hikmatku. Namun semakin kucari hikmat itu, semakin jauh ia daripadaku.
24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
Siapa dapat menemukan arti hidup ini? Terlalu dalam untuk dapat dimengerti!
25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
Namun aku tekun belajar dan mencari pengetahuan, supaya mendapat hikmat dan jawaban atas segala pertanyaan. Aku mencoba mengerti bahwa dosa itu kebodohan, dan kejahatan adalah kenekatan.
26 I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
Aku mendapati bahwa wanita lebih pahit daripada maut. Cinta wanita seperti jala dan perangkap yang siap menangkap mangsanya. Pelukannya seperti belenggu yang mengikat erat. Orang yang melakukan kehendak Allah terhindar dari jeratnya, tapi orang berdosa pasti akan ditawannya.
27 Look, this have I found, says the Preacher, one to another, to find out the scheme;
Lihat, kata Sang Pemikir: Semua itu kutemukan, ketika langkah demi langkah kucari jawaban.
28 which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Masih juga aku mencari jawaban-jawaban lain, namun tidak berhasil. Di antara seribu orang, kudapati seorang laki-laki yang kuhormati. Tetapi di antara mereka tak ada wanita yang dapat kuhargai.
29 Look, this only have I found, that God made humankind upright, but they search for many schemes.
Hanya inilah yang kudapat: Allah membuat kita sederhana dan biasa. Tetapi kita sendirilah yang membuat diri kita rumit dan berbelit-belit.
