Propovjednik 12
1 I sjećaj se svoga Stvoritelja u danima svoje mladosti prije nego dođu zli dani i prispiju godine kad ćeš reći: “Ne mile mi se.”
And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 Prije nego potamni sunce i svjetlost, mjesec i zvijezde, i vrate se oblaci iza kiše.
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 U dan kad zadrhte čuvari kuće i pognu se junaci, i dosađuju se mlinarice jer ih je premalo, i potamne oni koji gledaju kroz prozore;
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
4 kad se zatvore ulična vrata, oslabi šum mlina, kad utihne pjev ptice i zamru zvuci pjesme.
and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 Kad je put uzbrdo muka i svaki izlazak prijetnja; a badem je u cvatu, i skakavac ne skače više, i koprov plot puca, jer čovjek ide u svoj vječni dom! A narikače već se kreću ulicama.
they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets; )
6 Prije nego se prekine srebrna vrpca i zlatna se svjetiljka razbije i razlupa se vrč na izvoru i slomi točak na bunaru;
— before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;
7 i vrati se prah u zemlju kao što je iz nje i došao, a duh se vrati Bogu koji ga je dao.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8 Ispraznost nad ispraznostima, veli Propovjednik, sve je ispraznost.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.
9 A osim toga što je sam Propovjednik bio mudar, on je i narod učio mudrosti te je odmjerio, ispitao i sastavio mnogo mudrih izreka.
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 Ujedno se Propovjednik trudio pronaći prikladne riječi i izravno izraziti istinu.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.
11 Besjede su mudrih ljudi kao ostani i kao pobodeni kolci: pastir se njima služi na dobro svojega stada.
The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
12 I na kraju, sine moj, znaj da je neizmjerno mnogo truda potrebno da se napiše knjiga i da mnogo učenje umara tijelo.
And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Čujmo svemu završnu riječ: “Boj se Boga, izvršuj njegove zapovijedi, jer - to je sav čovjek.”
Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
14 Jer sva će skrivena djela, bila dobra ili zla, Bog izvesti na sud.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
