< Propovjednik 1 >

1 Misli Propovjednika, Davidova sina, kralja u Jeruzalemu.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Ispraznost nad ispraznošću, veli Propovjednik, ispraznost nad ispraznošću, sve je ispraznost!
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 Kakva je korist čovjeku od svega truda njegova kojim se trudi pod suncem?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labor that he labors at under the sun?
4 Jedan naraštaj odlazi, drugi dolazi, a zemlja uvijek ostaje.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.
5 Sunce izlazi, sunce zalazi i onda hiti svojem mjestu odakle izlazi.
Also, the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in, and to its place panting it is rising there.
6 Vjetar puše na jug i okreće se na sjever, kovitla sad ovamo sad onamo i vraća se u novom vrtlogu.
Going to the south, and turning around to the north, turning around, turning around, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind has returned.
7 Sve rijeke teku u more i more se ne prepunja; odakle teku rijeke, onamo se vraćaju da ponovo počnu svoj tok.
All the streams are going to the sea, and the sea is not full; to a place to where the streams are going, there they are turning back to go.
8 Sve je mučno. Nitko ne može reći da se oči nisu do sita nagledale i uši dovoljno naslušale.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear filled from hearing.
9 Što je bilo, opet će biti, i što se činilo, opet će se činiti, i nema ništa novo pod suncem.
What [is] that which has been? It [is] that which is, and what [is] that which has been done? It [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10 Ima li išta o čemu bi se moglo reći: “Gle, ovo je novo!” Sve je već davno prije nas postojalo.
There is a thing of which [one] says: “See this, it [is] new!” Already it has been in the ages that were before us!
11 Samo, od prošlosti ne ostade ni spomena, kao što ni u budućnosti neće biti sjećanja na ono što će poslije doći.
There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 Ja, Propovjednik, bijah kralj nad Izraelom u Jeruzalemu.
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 I trudih se da mudrošću istražim i dokučim sve što biva pod nebom; o, kako mučnu zadaću zadade Bog sinovima ljudskim.
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that has been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God has given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 Vidjeh sve što se čini pod suncem: kakve li ispraznosti i puste tlapnje!
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit!
15 Što je krivo, ne može se ispraviti; čega nema, izbrojiti se ne može.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16 Rekoh onda sam sebi: “Gle, stekao sam veću mudrost nego bilo tko od mojih prethodnika u Jeruzalemu. Duh moj sabrao je golemu mudrost i znanje.”
I spoke with my heart, saying, “I, behold, have magnified and added wisdom above everyone who has been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart has seen wisdom and knowledge abundantly.
17 Mudrost pomnjivo proučih, a tako i glupost i ludost, ali sam spoznao da je to pusta tlapnja.
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit;
18 Mnogo mudrosti - mnogo jada; što više znanja, to više boli.
for in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who adds knowledge adds pain.”

< Propovjednik 1 >